ReportOUT worked in close partnership with Our Circle, a Belize-based LGBTQ+ support organisation over a period of nearly two years to document the lives of sexual and gender minorities in Belize.  This has been done with the purpose of examining the human rights and development needs for LGBTQ+ Belizeans. 

Challenges and discrimination remain a daily reality for LGBTQI+ Belizeans in housing, healthcare, education, government institutions, stigmatisation which occurs at both the hands of both state officials and close family members. For many, the experience of discrimination on the basis of their gender or sexuality has links with people’s religious beliefs and strong influence of the Church across society. 

There are clear areas for change, both in improving societal attitudes and in ratifying discrimination protections through an equal opportunities bill. Specific development projects may be needed to ensure that LGBTQ+ Belizeans are not at risk of being left behind in efforts to meet the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals, such as recognising the need to overcome barriers in access to health care or taking an intersectional approach to climate change prevention.  

However, there have been positive signs of progress, such as the increasing visibility of LGBTQ+ support groups such as Our Circle organising public events such as the first ever Pride Week in 2017 following decriminalisation of same-sex activity the previous year.  These initial steps need to be accompanied by enforcing recently enacted anti-discrimination measures for LGBTQ+ Belizeans to achieve genuine equality and for Belize to meet its commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.