In the midst of a crackdown on homosexuals, Zambia has been the scene of at least 43 LGBT-related violations of people’s rights in the past six months, according to a new report by the local LGBT activist organization Friends of Rainka. Even worse incidents could occur, the report suggests, because “the situation for LGBTI persons … Continue reading
Monthly Archives: September 2013
‘A new low by Cameroon’s government’
The comments by the official state representative toward the late Eric Lembembe, who is no longer with us to defend himself against such vitriol, represent a new low by Cameroon’s government. — Neela Ghoshal, senior researcher on LGBT rights for Human Rights Watch: Human Rights Watch this week criticized the government of Cameroon for lies, … Continue reading
Guyana man will advise World Bank on LGBT poverty
The World Bank wants to know what it can do to alleviate poverty among millions of LGBT people around the world. To help answer that question, the bank invited the St. Paul’s Foundation for International Reconciliation to select an LGBT representative to attend the annual meetings of the bank and the International Monetary Fund on … Continue reading
Impoverished, Jamaica still rejects gay tourism dollars
Jamaica was recently selected to chair the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Ironically, our homophobic laws and practices cuts the country off from a very lucrative segment of global tourism, namely gay travelers. Together, the estimated spending power of this group is about US$140 billion annually. Just a portion of that sum could effectively eliminate … Continue reading
An LGBT victory in Belize
September 21, 2013 marked Belize’s 32nd independence day and, in an unprecedented move, the country’s Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, used the opportunity to support the right to equality for LGBT citizens. In his message to mark the day the PM said: “Government will therefore fully respect the right of the churches to propagate their understanding … Continue reading
Cameroon and you: Help push for justice, an end to violence
If you haven’t already contributed to help send Cameroonian activists to the Gambia next month to press for justice for LGBT people in their violently repressive country, please contribute now to the Indiegogo campaign Justice 4 Eric Lembembe. This article by Amy Bergquist, staff attorney with The Advocates’ International Justice Program, is reblogged here with … Continue reading
Cameroon tries to blame LGBT activist for his own murder
If you haven’t already contributed to help send Cameroonian activists to the Gambia to press for justice for LGBT people in their violently repressive country, please contribute now to the Indiegogo campaign Justice 4 Eric Lembembe. The government of Cameroon last week tried to besmirch the memory of courageous LGBT activist Eric Ohena Lembembe. His … Continue reading
Plea at U.N. to stop violence; Cameroon claims it will change
Colleagues of murdered Cameroonian activist Eric Ohena Lembembe have urged their government to stop homophobic attacks and legalized repression of LGBT people in Cameroon, and the government has responded with lip service aimed at creating the impression that Cameroon will: Investigate police violence against individuals because of their sexual orientation. Investigate threats and attacks against … Continue reading
Another homophobic attack in Jamaica
At around 11 p.m. on the evening of September 21, 2013, a young gay Jamaican man was walking home after visiting a friend in the community of Newlands, Portmore, St. Catherine. Without warning he was set upon and stoned by a mob of men shouting “Ketch di battyboy” [catch the faggot], “Kill the battyman,” “Hol’ … Continue reading
UNAIDS has the book. Shouldn’t you?
As the photo above shows, Michel Sidibé, the executive director of UNAIDS, has a copy of From Wrongs to Gay Rights, the book in which writers of this blog portray in vividly human terms the toll of 76-plus countries’ anti-gay laws. Shouldn’t you have one too? The book, “From Wrongs to Gay Rights,” is currently … Continue reading