The court found that the so-called “buggery” and “gross indecency” laws (legislation targeting anal sex and other ‘indecent’ sexual acts between people of the same sex), which date back to the British colonial era, are unconstitutional. According to the court, these laws unfairly target LGBTQ+ individuals and violate fundamental human rights, including the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and protection from discrimination.

With this decision, Saint Lucia joins a growing list of Caribbean nations that have repealed similar legislation. Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, and Saint Kitts & Nevis had already taken similar steps. In total, five countries in the Eastern Caribbean have now decriminalised same-sex activity.

Nonetheless, challenges remain. In countries such as Jamaica, Guyana, Grenada, and Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, these kinds of laws are still in force. Trinidad and Tobago scrapped its ban in 2018, but reversed that decision earlier this year.

The ruling in Saint Lucia was welcomed by human rights organisations. Téa Braun, CEO of the Human Dignity Trust, described it as “a major legal milestone” with significance both in Saint Lucia and globally. “This demonstrates the importance of the courts when lawmakers fail to uphold fundamental human rights,” Braun said.

Although these laws were rarely enforced in practice, activists argue they contributed to a climate of fear, stigma and discrimination.