South Sudan — Gay Travel Index 2026

Name: South Sudan — Gay Travel Index 2026
Creator: GayOut
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

14/100

High risk #165 of 207

Score = Legal 14/60 + Scene 0/40 = 14/100 · thin scene coverage — legal-weighted provisional score

Updated 15 Oct 2026 · release 2026.3.

A live score, not an annual report — it recomputes as laws, rulings and the scene itself change. See what moved in 2026.

Legal composite · Legal milestones · Scene on the ground · Frequently asked questions

⚠ Criminalized

Same-sex intimacy is criminalized or actively repressed here. Consult your government travel advisories before any trip; this listing is informational, not an endorsement of travel.

Legal composite — 14/60 points

Criminalization	Criminalized
Partnership	● No not recognised
Anti-discrimination	● No
Gender recognition	Not possible — no legal gender recognition
Enforcement reality	Harassment — police or state harassment documented

Research note: criminalized; sporadic enforcement, evidence thin (est) — GayOut Index 2026.3 legal research (ILGA World / Human Dignity Trust / Rainbow Europe / Equaldex).

Legal composite, five components

Fulfilment per component (100 = maximum). Weights: criminalisation 35% · partnership 20% · enforcement 20% · anti-discrimination 15% · gender recognition 10%.

Legal milestones

Background, not travel advice — how the current status came to be. For planning a trip, rely on the current score, tier and scene sections above; 2026 movements are tracked in the sourced change log.

2008The Penal Code criminalized same-sex activity as 'unnatural offences' under Article 248, with penalties of up to 10 years' imprisonment. ↗
2010President Salva Kiir declared homosexuality was not something anybody could even talk about in southern Sudan. ↗
2011South Sudan's constitution at independence banned same-sex marriage, and cross-dressing remained punishable by up to three months' imprisonment. ↗
2022The U.S. State Department reported most openly LGBTQ citizens had fled the country because of hostile government rhetoric and action. ↗
TodaySame-sex activity remained illegal with up to 10 years' imprisonment, no anti-discrimination protections and no known local LGBTQ organizations. ↗

Sources: ILGA World · Human Dignity Trust · Equaldex. Each milestone links to a reference source ↗.

Scene on the ground — 0/40 points

LGBTQ+ venues listed

Dedicated gay bars

Gay saunas

Cities with a scene

Pride parades

Queer film festivals

Detailed scene metrics (for researchers)

Gay bars per million	—
Saunas per million	—
Events per million	0
Coverage grade	—
Scene score	0/40 (raw scene index 0/100)

Frequently asked questions

Is South Sudan safe for gay travellers?

South Sudan is rated High risk on the GayOut Gay Travel Index 2026: same-sex intimacy is criminalized or actively repressed. Its legal safety component is 14/60. On enforcement reality, police or state harassment is documented.

Is same-sex marriage legal in South Sudan?

No. Same-sex marriage is not legal in South Sudan. Overall legal status: Criminalized.

Does South Sudan have a gay scene?

GayOut currently lists no LGBTQ+ venues in South Sudan, so any gay scene is limited, informal or not publicly documented.