The Australian Volunteers Program strives to provide a safe, supportive and equitable environment for LGBTQIA+ volunteers, approved accompanying dependents, partner organisations and all program staff. The Australian Volunteers Program has supported queer volunteers in all program countries and has ongoing connections with community organisations in many countries and regions in which the program operates.
This guide introduces a snapshot of the local context for queer and gender diverse people. LGBTQIA+ program participants must be aware of the country context before undertaking an assignment. If you are an LGBTQIA+ volunteer, you will need to:
- do your own research and understand what the local law says you can and can't do when in-country
- follow the local laws, even if you disagree with them
- be aware of the legal protections for LGBTQIA+ people in your destinations
- consider if you’re comfortable living and working in a place where you may not be able to live as openly as you can in some parts of Australia.
Language
Terminology may differ across urban and rural contexts, provinces or ethnic and cultural groups. Information sourced online can be outdated or inaccurate. For current and accurate information, please confirm with an appropriate civil society organisation (CSO) or ask your in-country team.
Legal and policy context
Same-sex sexual acts are criminalised in Tuvalu, with a maximum prison sentence of 14 years and a maximum of seven years for attempting to commit this crime. Indecent acts between males in public or private settings have a maximum sentence of five years imprisonment. However, laws against same-sex acts have not been enforced in recent years. While sex between males is illegal, sex between females is legal, and the age of consent is equal to the age of consent for heterosexual couples. Same-sex marriage and civil unions are not recognised by the state.
In 2011, Tuvalu signed the United Nation’s Joint Statement on Ending Acts of Violence and Related Human Rights Violations Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity.
In 2013, Tuvalu voted in favour of the Asian and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development. This declaration referenced several sexual orientation and gender identity issues, including violence and discrimination and policy guidance notes. In a verbal statement, Tuvalu’s delegates emphasised that the country had turned a new page in its efforts, placing value on the human rights of every individual in the region. Yet in the same year, Tuvalu rejected recommendations to repeal 'buggery' and 'gross indecency' provisions from its law in its second Universal Periodic Review cycle. In 2018, in its third review cycle, Tuvalu ‘noted’ recommendations concerning decriminalisation of same-sex relations. During the fourth review, Amnesty International called for the repeal of the provisions, despite there being no evidence of the government enforcing them.
In September 2023, the Parliament of Tuvalu approved Constitutional amendments, including a Bill of Rights which guarantees freedom from discrimination on the basis of sex. However, the Constitution does not contain any explicit protection against non-discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
Discrimination
Some legal protections exist for LGBTQIA+ people in Tuvalu. Discrimination in the workplace, termination of employment or discrimination in recruitment based on one’s gender, sex, sexual orientation and HIV/AIDS status is prohibited. There are no constitutional or broad protections, or protections against hate crimes or incitement to hatred based on someone’s sexual or gender identities. There are no non-discrimination laws surrounding sex work.
Cultural and societal attitudes
There is little information on cultural and societal attitudes toward LGBTQIA+ people in Tuvalu. In one study, men who have sex with men and transgender women were reported to experience discriminatory behaviour and were stigmatised by other members of society because of their sexuality.
'We are small community. We have to keep our sexual identity so we are not discriminated.' – Anonymous, Tuvalu
Health and wellbeing
The healthcare system in Tuvalu is administered by the Ministry of Health. The healthcare sector is 'extremely small' and largely funded through regional and international donors. There is only one hospital on the island, the Princess Margaret Hospital, located in the capital of Funafuti. There are no private medical practices or pharmacies, but there are smaller government-run clinics. There is no information on the barriers that LGBTQIA+ people may face in Tuvalu when accessing or attempting to access healthcare.
Tuvalu reported its first case of HIV in 1995. Since then there have been 11 confirmed cases, of which four have died.
There is no comprehensive sex education in Tuvalu that incorporates LGBTQIA+ themes.
The Pride Guides were developed in 2022 and updated in 2025 by consultants and experts based in countries in which the program operates.
