Twitter Chat: How do constitutions address sexual orientation and gender identity?

This week marks the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling that made same-sex marriage a right for U.S. citizens.

But the state of LGBT rights varies by location, a new report from the WORLD Policy Analysis Center shows. The report, released earlier this week, looked at the constitutions of 193 countries, providing the first-ever detailed global assessment of the protections offered on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

Over the last 25 years, WORLD’s report found a considerable improvement in rights for LGBT people in some regions. Between 1990 and 2013, 59 countries outlawed discrimination in employment based on an individual’s sexual orientation. And from 1990 and 2014, 10 countries introduced constitutional protections on the basis of sexual orientation. Another five countries introduced protections based on gender identity.

But while LBGT human rights receive increased protections in some countries, discrimination against LGBT people persists in others. In 76 countries, consensual same-sex sexual activity is illegal. In five of these countries, such acts are punishable by death. Both Liberia and Nigeria have banned same-sex marriage in the past several years. No constitution in WORLD’s study explicitly protected the right to same-sex marriage, although 22 countries introduced legislation in support of marriage equality.

At 1 p.m. EDT on Thursday, June 30, PBS NewsHour will host a Twitter chat to discuss LGBT constitutional rights in countries around the world. Joining us for this discussion will be Jody Heymann, David Godfrey and The WORLD Policy Analysis Center team (@WPolicyCenter), Aengus Carroll of the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (@AengusCarroll), Amanda McLain-Snipes of The Equality Federation (@EqualityFed), and Andrew Park of The Williams Institute (@MtgAndrewPark). Follow along on Twitter via the hashtag #NewsHourChats.