UNAIDS Celebrates Saint Lucia’s Historic Decriminalization of Same-Sex Relations

Kingston/Geneva, July 30, 2025 – The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has hailed a landmark ruling by the High Court of Justice in Saint Lucia, which struck down sections 132 and 133 of the Criminal Code that criminalized consensual same-sex relations.

UNAIDS described the ruling as a major victory for human rights and public health, calling it a critical step forward in ensuring access to HIV services without fear or discrimination across the Caribbean.

“This landmark decision underscores the transformative power of the law in protecting human rights and public health,” said Luisa Cabal, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The legal challenge, part of a strategic litigation initiative led by the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE), is seen as a crucial move toward dismantling colonial-era laws that fuel stigma, violence, and exclusion.

Saint Lucia joins a growing list of Caribbean nations—Belize, Antigua and Barbuda, St. Kitts and Nevis, Barbados, and Dominica—that have recently repealed similar laws. The ruling affirms the rights to privacy, non-discrimination, freedom of expression, and equal protection under the Constitution.

Richard Amenyah, UNAIDS Caribbean Director, emphasized that removing discriminatory laws enhances public health by enabling LGBTQ+ individuals to access HIV prevention and care services without fear. “By removing these outdated criminal provisions, we open doors… and ultimately save lives,” he said.

UNAIDS reiterated its call for the remaining countries with similar laws to follow suit and align with rights-based strategies that protect all citizens and advance efforts to end AIDS by 2030.