Reports The Independent:

"A comprehensive study of global lesbian, bisexual and gay rights, seen by The Independent on Sunday, reveals the brutal – and, in many instances, fatal – price people pay around the globe for their sexuality. The research, which was conducted by the charity network the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association (ILGA), shows that 76 countries still prosecute people on the grounds of their sexual orientation – seven of which punish same-sex acts with death."

"On a global scale, the nations doing something positive for gay rights are dwarfed by those behaving negatively. While 75 countries will imprison you if you are gay, only 53 have anti-discrimination laws that apply to sexuality. Only 26 countries recognise same-sex unions."

Rights for gay people in Africa don't seem to be improving at all. In fact many countries are seeing the opposite:

"ILGA's study of global gay rights shows that, elsewhere, admitting to being gay is still a matter of life and death. In much of Africa, the past decade has seen the lives of gay people go "from bad to worse", the report says. More than 50 per cent of African states have taken action to criminalise homosexuality and religious homophobia is rife."

And it appears as if it certainly won't be getting much better in Southern Sudan, where homosexual sex is illegal, anytime soon.

Yesterday, Salva Kiir Mayardit (seen here in his trademark hat), president of Southern Sudan, was asked by Radio Netherlands Worldwide about homosexuality: "It is not in our character […] it is not there and if anybody wants to import it to Sudan […] it will always be condemned by everybody."