A Resource to End Them in South Africa
Conversion practices destroy lives. Learn what they are – and how we can end them
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Before You Continue – Support Comes First
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Last updated: 26 January 2026
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Use encrypted communication whenever possible (e.g., Signal, WhatsApp with disappearing messages).
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Use a private or anonymous email, especially if your usual accounts include identifying details.
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From Germany’s Federal Law (2020) — Section 4: Establishment of a Counselling Service
“The counselling service is aimed at all persons who are or may be affected by conversion therapy and their relatives… offered in multiple languages and anonymously.”
Support is part of justice. Every survivor deserves to heal.
What Are Conversion Practices?
Conversion practices (sometimes called “conversion therapy”) are harmful interventions that aim to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation (SO), gender identity (GI), gender expression (E), or sexual characteristics (SC).They can take many forms – counselling, prayer, exorcisms, “deliverance”, or psychological manipulation – but all are based on the false idea that SOGIESC-diverse identities are wrong, broken, or curable.
Leading Definitions:
| Source | Definition |
|---|---|
| European Parliament (2024) | Conversion practices include psychological, medical, and religious interventions based on the false belief that sexual orientation or gender identity is an illness that can be changed or suppressed, despite global medical consensus that these practices are ineffective, unethical, harmful, and violate fundamental human rights. |
| Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA) | Conversion practices are discredited, harmful interventions psychological, religious, or physical – aimed at changing or suppressing a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression, grounded in the false idea that LGBTQIA+ identities are abnormal or pathological. |
| New Zealand Human Rights Commission (2022) | Conversion practices are any actions, treatments, or sustained efforts intended to change or suppress a person’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression – such as coercive counselling, shame-based tactics, or prayer-based interventions – which have no evidence of effectiveness and are known to cause significant and lasting harm. |
Read Full Definitions → conversionpractices.com
Across cultures, conversion practices share one goal – to make people someone they are not.
These efforts cause harm precisely because they begin from the premise that people who are SOGIESC-diverse are unacceptable as they are.
About This Project
A South African reference point for understanding conversion practices – and the global movement to end them.
ZA.ConversionPractices.com is a non-profit, independent public resource designed to help South Africans understand what conversion practices are, how they are defined globally, and how different countries are responding to them through research, policy, and law.South Africa has no national ban, no parliamentary inquiry, and limited institutional guidance on these practices. As a result, information is scattered, difficult to verify, and not easily accessible to the public, journalists, professionals, or policymakers.
This project consolidates clear, internationally aligned definitions and evidence-based information so that decision-makers, researchers, and communities can work from a shared understanding.The purpose of this site is simple:
To provide clear, accessible, non-partisan information on conversion practices, their documented harms, and how they are being addressed globally – without campaigning, fundraising, or organisational affiliation.This website is not a service provider, legal adviser, NGO, or advocacy campaign.
It does not offer counselling, legal representation, or crisis support.
Instead, it serves as a stable, long-term reference point for South Africans seeking reliable information in an area where national guidance is still largely absent. The data repository acts as a foresight engine, charting the inevitable course of global human rights law.If you are seeking support, please visit the dedicated Support section.
“Websites are critical to share knowledge and resources about conversion practices.”
– Community-Based Research Centre (Canada)
Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the survivors and activists across South Africa – and the continent – whose courage continues to drive change.We also acknowledge the first peoples of this land, including the San and Khoekhoe communities, whose deep cultural teachings remind us that healing is collective, and dignity must never be conditional.
References
Sunlight is the best disinfectant. To end these practices, we must first see them clearly.
Where Conversion Practices Are Banned
Twenty five countries have some form of ban on conversion practices – South Africa is not yet one of them.
Around the world, governments are recognising that conversion practices cause serious harm. As of this update, 25 countries have implemented prohibitions, with additional jurisdictions adopting regional or partial protections. These laws vary in strength and scope, but they reflect a global shift toward evidence-based protection for people who are SOGIESC-diverse.South Africa has no ban, no formal inquiry, and no national policy response. This section helps situate the country within the broader global context.
Global Status (by continent)
| Continent | Total Countries | Countries with Some Form of Ban |
|---|---|---|
| Africa | 54 | 0 |
| Asia | 49 | 1 |
| Europe | 50 | 11 |
| North America | 23 | 2 |
| Oceania | 14 | 4 |
| South America | 12 | 7 |
| TOTAL | 202 | 25 (12,4%) |
Last updated: 26 January 2026
South Africa remains one of the many countries without national protections. While several professional bodies and NGOs have spoken out against conversion practices, there is still no legislative framework in place.
To see global bans in full detail, visit: conversionpractices.comFor the latest map and tracking, see Global Equality Caucus – Legislative Progress:
A national ban would require parliamentary action, cross-sector coordination, and survivor-informed policymaking – local psychologists, human rights groups, and SOGIESC organisations are laying the groundwork.
South Africa – The Current Situation
South Africa has no national ban, no statutory definition, and no formal monitoring of conversion practices.
South Africa has progressive constitutional protections for equality and dignity – yet conversion practices continue across religious, cultural, familial, and therapeutic settings. There is currently:
no national ban,
no criminal or civil penalties,
no regulatory guidance,
no government inquiry, and
no formal data collection system.
This leaves survivors without clear recourse, and professionals without national standards for prevention, reporting, or safeguarding.
What We Know
| • | Conversion practices are documented in Christian, Muslim, Hindu, traditional, and interfaith settings; in families; and within unregulated counselling environments. |
| • | No government ministry has released formal guidelines addressing these harms. |
| • | Regulators for mental health professions have not issued explicit statements or enforcement protocols. |
| • | Professional psychologists’ associations (including PsySSA) have publicly rejected conversion practices and declared them unethical. |
| • | Survivor testimony indicates practices still occur across provinces, often disguised as “counselling”, “deliverance”, “healing”, or “support”. |
| • | South Africa has no mechanism to track prevalence, complaints, or institutional enabling. |
Current Local Efforts
Civil society, researchers, journalists, and independent advocates continue to raise awareness about the harms of conversion practices. Two national petitions exist, both calling for urgent legislation.
Ending conversion practices isn’t about silencing faith – it’s about protecting freedom, dignity, and life.
Law is how societies define what care means – and what harm means.
How To End Conversion Practices
Ending conversion practices in South Africa will take a collective effort from citizens, professionals, and organisations.It begins with public awareness and policy pressure, and continues with legal advocacy, education, and community healing.
How Change Happens
What Works Around the World
In countries that have banned conversion practices, change followed a predictable pattern:
| 1. | Mental health associations declared the practices unethical. |
| 2. | Human rights commissions documented harm and discrimination. |
| 3. | Lawyers and NGOs drafted legislation and submitted bills. |
| 4. | Public petitions and survivor stories moved lawmakers to act. |
The same process can work here. South Africa has world-class mental health professionals, a progressive constitution, and a growing movement of survivors and advocates.
What You Can Do
Sign the Petitions
Petition: The Johannesburg Declaration Against SOGIE Change Efforts and Conversion Practices (Change.org)
Petition: Banning Conversion Therapy in South Africa (All Out)
Share and Educate
Talk about conversion practices in your community, your workplace, or your place of religious worship.Use the hashtag #EndConversionZA to raise awareness and connect with others working toward change.
After a Ban – Continuing the Work
When Bans Alone Aren’t Enough
Even in countries with strong bans, conversion practices often continue underground. Ongoing monitoring, survivor support, and community education remain essential.South Africa must prepare for both prevention and response as we work toward national legislation.
You can read more about post-ban requirements at: conversionpractices.com
Ending conversion practices is a process – one rooted in truth-telling, ethical courage, and the recognition that every person deserves to live without pressure to become someone else.
Contact / Join the Movement
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