Genocide Watch questions whether Costa Rica is 'up to date' on human rights.
2026 July 1
The international human rights organization Genocide Watch published an analysis challenging the Costa Rican government’s claim that the country is “up to date” on human rights and has no pending tasks regarding the protection of LGBTQI+ minorities. The piece responds to the presidential position dismissing further engagement with international human rights forums, arguing that genuine progress requires more than symbolic participation.
The analysis documents ongoing discrimination against LGBTQI+ and transgender people in Costa Rica: sexual and gender minorities are used as political bargaining chips during elections; systemic discrimination persists in workplaces, schools, and healthcare settings; transgender individuals face barriers to employment, housing, and education; LGBTQI+ youth experience harassment and violence in schools; comprehensive sexual education faces disinformation campaigns; and healthcare decisions are sometimes based on prejudice rather than science. It concludes that many sexual and gender minorities still fear expressing their identities publicly, and that the only demand being made is equality: the same rights, opportunities, and protection as anyone else.