From a once dominant “British empire”, the Commonwealth remains one of the largest political associations with 54 member countries across the globe. Even though the ties are now historical rather than legal, many of its members have retained their colonial-era laws. This includes the infamous Section 377 or sodomy laws that have made life difficult for LGBTI people for centuries.

UK-based charity and lawyer collective, the Human Dignity Trust, has detailed the nature and extent of anti-LGBT hate crimes across the Commonwealth. Their report not only looks at the laws that help perpetuate these crimes, but also the impacts hate crimes have on LGBTI people.

Téa Braun the Director of the Human Dignity Trust spoke to us from London about how the Commonwealth could make changes.