Short answers, pulled from the story.
Thirty-eight countries currently recognize same-sex marriage. This legal recognition stands in stark contrast to the reality in Iran and Afghanistan, where two nations are believed to impose the death penalty for consensual same-sex sexual acts.
The Netherlands became the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage in 2001. This landmark decision set a precedent for other nations to follow regarding legal recognition of same-sex relationships.
Section 377 of the British Colonial Penal Code outlawed consensual sexual activity between same-sex couples in 1861. More than half of the seventy-one countries that criminalized homosexuality were former British colonies or protectorates as of 2018.
The United Nations Human Rights Council passed its first resolution recognizing LGBTQ rights in 2011. Following this resolution the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights issued a report documenting violations including hate crimes and criminalization of homosexual activity.
Senegal Oman Brunei Afghanistan Somalia Eritrea Gambia and Iran rank among the worst according to the index. Legal authorities in Iran and Nigeria enforce stoning penalties in the northern third of that country.