The goal: “a space in West Africa where persons from diverse faiths, cultures, class and sexual orientations can convene, work with faith leaders and communities to create a world in which everyone enjoys all human rights irrespective of class, religious belief, culture and sexual orientation.” Late last month, West Africa moved a step closer to … Continue reading
A confrontation over LGBT rights is expected to come to a head tomorrow at the United Nations. [Editor’s note: That scheduled vote has been delayed. See: “Opposition and delay confront anti-LGBT push at U.N.”] At issue is last June’s vote by the U.N. Human Rights Council to hire a watchdog to investigate violations of LGBT rights. … Continue reading
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
On the same day when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that all states must recognize same-sex marriages, the progressive U.S.-based Episcopal Church is considering whether to extend its work for justice to LGBT people in Africa. The church’s General Convention, now under way in Salt Lake City, Utah, will decide whether to authorize not only … Continue reading
The U.N. Human Rights Council today passed a resolution opposing violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Contrary to some predictions, the proposal, pushed by Latin American countries, did not face united opposition either from all African nations or all countries with anti-gay laws. The resolution reinforces a resolution on the same … Continue reading
Front Line Defenders, which supports human rights activists, issued this press release on Aug. 28: Sierra Leone – Threats against human rights defender Ms Mary Conteh On 28 August 2014, human rights defender Ms Mary Conteh received a call from an unknown number where the caller threatened to spread false information that she contracted Ebola … Continue reading
The issue of African countries imprisoning LGBTI people for their sexual orientation wasn’t on the agenda at this week’s United States/Africa summit in Washington, D.C. Instead, President Obama spoke about security, trade and economic development. Then, on Aug. 5, he and First Lady Michelle Obama posed for friendly photos with 32 leaders of countries with … Continue reading
DEATH THREATS, ATTACK, AND THEN ESCAPE Until they had to flee the country to save their lives, George Freeman, Denzil Kargbo and Ephraim Bernard Wilson worked to halt the spread of AIDS in Sierra Leone. They worked for years to educate LGBT people in Sierra Leone about the dangers of HIV / AIDS, but they … Continue reading
AFRICA IN GENERAL ‘Homophobia’ in Africa condemned (Amnesty International via BBC) AFRICA AND EUROPE Persecuted homosexuals can be granted refuge. Gays and lesbians from nations that have criminalized their sexual orientation can be granted refuge in the European Union, but only if they are demonstratively persecuted, a top EU lawyer recommended on Thursday in a … Continue reading
Mohamed S. Kamara of Sierra Leone, currently living outside the country, describes the difficulties of LGBT rights advocacy in his homeland: In Sierra Leone, few are brave enough to advocate for gay rights, which would expose them to persecutions, threats, attacks, provocations and ridicule. My work and activities with different local and international organisations had … Continue reading
