Many signs of progress, but also many instances of ongoing persecution of LGBTI people, are contained in the following round-up of the world’s recent LGBTI-related news, most of which was excerpted with slight modifications from the UNAIDS publication Equal Eyes: Human rights Activists in Odessa, Ukraine, convinced authorities to reconsider a last-minute ban that would … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Human Rights
Artistic appeals for human rights of LGBTI Ugandans
Ugandan artist Vincent Kyabayinze uses his artwork to appeal for respect for the human rights of LGBTI Ugandans. As director of East African Visual Artists, an independent nonpartisan, human rights advocacy organization, he works to improve the visibility, dignity and rights of LGBTI, sex workers and people living with HIV and Aids. East African Visual … Continue reading
Financial crisis hits Americas’ official human rights watchdog
A severe financial crisis is forcing drastic staff cuts and reduction in operations at the human rights commission for North and South America, which was created by and is partially funded by the Organization of American States. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) said in a press release: “The Commission deeply regrets having to … Continue reading
Tally of LGBTI rights, wrongs in 29 sub-Saharan countries
Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made progress in recognizing the human rights of LGBTI people, but much work remains to be done in the region’s 29 countries that still have laws against same-sex intimacy. LGBTI rights in those African countries are the focus of the following excerpts from the 2015 edition of the U.S. … Continue reading
Human rights in Oceania — lots of work to do
Much remains to be done to improve the human rights records of seven Pacific Ocean countries that still have laws against same-sex intimacy. In particular, LGBTI rights in those seven countries in Oceania are the focus of the following excerpts from the 2015 edition of the U.S. Department of State’s Country Reports on Human Rights … Continue reading
LGBTI rights activism: Mostly hidden in Middle East, N. Africa
Public recognition of the human rights of LGBTI people remains rare in the many Middle Eastern and North African countries that still have laws against same-sex intimacy. In most of those countries, even advocacy of those rights is unusual. Such advocacy is mostly underground, online or abroad for Algeria, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, Syria … Continue reading
Caribbean nations inch their way toward LGBTI rights
Several Caribbean countries with laws against same-sex intimacy are at least discussing the possibility of repealing them. In Belize and Jamaica, those laws are being challenged in court. In Guyana, the prime minister talks about repealing them. In Dominica, the prime minister says they’re not enforced. But sexual minorities suffer from intense social stigma in … Continue reading
Historic meeting from Africa, Americas: End anti-LGBTI attacks
In an unprecedented meeting, human rights experts from Africa and the Americas have appealed for an end to violence targeting LGBTI people. The meeting, which involved United Nations human rights experts and representatives of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, occurred in November 2015. It … Continue reading
Anti-gay Kenyans fear upcoming Obama visit
Kenya was already in a tizzy about LGBTI rights even before people’s attention turned to the upcoming visit of President Obama. The High Court had ruled on April 24 that the government had no right to refuse recognition to a law-abiding organization just because it advocates for the human rights of LGBTI people. Government officials … Continue reading
Progress + disputes: Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia
A recap of recent news about LGBTI rights in three of the Caribbean nations with laws against homosexual activity (Guyana, St. Lucia and Jamaica), with help from coverage in the Caribbean IRN Blog of the International Resource Network: Guyana Stabroek News of Guyana editorialized favorably on Ireland’s vote in favor of Marriage Equality: “Marriage … … Continue reading
