The executive director of IDNOWA and some members were invited by its partners , the Protestant Church in The Netherlands one a week. The purpose of the visit is an exchange program with the aim to meet with different organisations and inform relevant bodies of the Protestant church as well as the general public in the Netherlands about the threatening human rights situation of LGBTIQ people in Ghana, and Nigeria. A second purpose is to improve the partnership between Kerk in Actie and the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA).
During the visits the IDNOWA team met with the religious, parliamentarians and several civil society organizations.
Davis Mac-Iyalla preached an amazing sermon on Sunday 15th September at Nieuwe Kerk, Groningen. He centred his message on Dead Faith and Suffering and encouraged the congregation to use their faith to reshape the world around them by speaking out against all forms of injustice and discrimination.
On Tuesday, August 14, 2024, Rightify Ghana’s Director had the honour of meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican.
With LGBTQI+ criminalisation rising in Africa, and Ghana’s anti-LGBTQI+ bill pending, we shared our experiences as queer individuals in Ghana and expressed gratitude to the Pope for his progressive stance, especially his opposition to violence and discrimination.
Pope Francis encouraged us to “keep fighting for your rights,” and that’s exactly what we will do.
We’re also grateful for the meaningful gifts we received—they will always hold a special place for us.
On Tuesday, August 14, 2024, Rightify Ghana's Director @Ebenezer_Peegah had the honour of meeting Pope Francis @Pontifex at the Vatican.
With LGBTQI+ criminalisation rising in Africa, and Ghana's anti-LGBTQI+ bill pending, we shared our experiences as queer individuals in.. pic.twitter.com/tYfW1X4W6D
LGBT people already live in fear in Nigeria, where same-sex relationships are illegal – now widespread misinformation about a European Union partnership pact has whipped up further hostility towards the community.
The Samoa Agreement – signed by Africa’s most-populous nation in June – is a co-operation deal between the EU and 79 countries from Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific.
The 403-page pact does not mention LGBT rights or same-sex relationships at all – yet many Nigerians believe that by signing it the West African nation has automatically legalised same-sex relationships.
The claims went viral last week when a piece published by Nigeria’s Daily Trust newspaper falsely alleged that the agreement forced underdeveloped and developing countries to recognise LGBT rights as a condition “for getting financial and other supports from advanced societies”.
Even if the agreement referenced such rights, it would still be impossible for the provisions of any international agreement signed by Nigeria to automatically result in changing the law, Nigerian lawyer Ugo Egbujo explained
Under current legislation, adopted a decade ago, same-sex couples face up to 14 years in prison.
“The only way to domesticate a law is to bring it to the National Assembly, where members must deliberate and vote to adopt it. Without doing this, it isn’t a law nor is it justiciable nor enforceable,” Mr Egbujo told the BBC.
“We have clear legislation on same-sex marriage and since its establishment in 2014, it has not been touched. Signing a multilateral agreement will not automatically change that.”
Has the government reacted?
Yes, it says it would never compromise its anti-LGBT laws and that it signed the agreement to boost the country’s economic development.
The Nigerian Bar Association has also scotched rumours that there was a provision in the agreement requiring the country to accept LGBT rights as a pre-condition for a $150bn (£116bn) loan – adding there was no reference to any loans in the deal.
The EU confirmed to the BBC the deal did not include any dedicated funding for Nigeria but there was €150bn ($163bn, £126bn) available to Africa, under a scheme known as Global Gateway, aimed at boosting “smart, clean and secure links in the digital, transport, energy and climate-relevant sectors” and strengthening education.
Despite these clarifications, opposition supporters have weaponised the fake news to attack the government and to whip up anger around the contentious issues of religion, ethnicity and politics.
President Bola Tinubu and Vice-President Kashim Shettima, who are both Muslims, have been accused of betraying their religion.
The false story is trending across social media and has become the leading subject of debate for influencers and political commentators.
How has the LGBT community been affected?
Hate speech has increased, according to Bisola Akande, a senior programmes officer for a local LGBT group who requested her name be changed.
“We came under attack with our details posted online. We had to shut down our website and are trying to protect ourselves,” she told the BBC.
Wise, a human rights organisation based in the northern city of Kano, has been the subject of online attacks – forcing it to take down its website and lock its social media pages.
Social media accounts for staff have also been deactivated, protected or made private, one of its representatives told the BBC.
The fury against Wise has been prompted by footage resurfacing of one of its events held a few years ago at which an official belonging to the city’s Hisbah police, a unit which enforces Sharia or Islamic law, speaks in support of LGBT rights.
It has led to the official in question being arrested this week – despite his protestations that his remarks, made during an interview, were intended to be in support of women’s empowerment.
Female Nigerian TikTokers who post pictures of themselves with other women – even if a sister or friend – have also become the target of homophobic abuse with derisive comments condemning their supposed sexual orientation.
When were concerns about the deal first raised?
It can be traced back to lawyer Sonnie Ekwowusi, who wrote an opinion article in Nigeria’s Vanguard newspaper last November urging the Nigerian government not to sign the Samoa Agreement, calling it “the deceptively and euphemistically crafted LGBT agreement between the EU and ACP [African, Caribbean and Pacific] countries”.
The EU admitted there were concerns about LGBT issues when about 30 countries, mostly African and Caribbean nations, including Nigeria, initially failed to sign the pact last year.
They had wanted to check whether the deal “would be compatible with their legal order, notably as regards same-sex relations and sexual health and rights”, the EU said.
In fact “as a matter of compromise” it had been agreed that signatories would commit to the implementation of existing international agreements as some African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) states had been “reluctant to see the foundation agreement mention sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBTI rights)”, it continued.
The Nigerian government went on to study the wording and agreed – saying in a declaration that it was consistent with Nigeria’s laws and other commitments.
Image caption,Nigeria’s ambassador to Belgium – Obinna Chiedu Onowu – signed the Samoa Agreement at the OACPS Secretariat in Brussels
Nigeria’s economic planning minister explained the Samoa Agreement had been signed on 28 June 2024 after being subject to extensive reviews and consultations by the country’s inter-ministerial committee.
Did this satisfy the critics?
No, Mr Ekwowusi reignited the flames of controversy several days later in his article published in the Daily Trust, which said that “certain articles of the agreement, especially articles 2.5 and 29.5, legalise LGBT, ‘transgenderism’, abortion, teen sexual abuse, and perversity in African countries”.
However, the content of these articles does not support this:
Article 2.5 reads: “The Parties shall systematically promote a gender perspective and ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed across all policies.”
Article 29.5 reads: “The Parties shall support universal access to sexual and reproductive health commodities and healthcare services, including for family planning, information and education, and the integration of reproductive health into national strategies and programmes.”
In an interview with the BBC, Mr Ekwowusi maintained his allegations.
“Gender equality” was a euphemism used by the EU to encompass sexual and LGBT rights and “reproductive health” was a euphemism for abortion and contraceptives, he said.
He admitted the pact could not override Nigerian legislation, but suggested tighter language was needed.
“We are advocating that they put a definition clause so that we know what the terms are. Define gender, define gender equality, define sexual reproductive health,” Mr Ekwowusi said.
What is the Samoa Agreement?
It is a legal framework for relations between the EU, a major provider of development aid, and 79 members of the Organisation of the African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS).
Respect for human rights, democratic principles and the rule of law constitute an essential element of the agreement, but it also encompasses areas like sustainable economic growth, climate change and migration.
The EU briefing document admitted that in some areas the wording fell short “of the EU negotiators’ ambitions”.
It replaces a previous EU partnership deal – the Cotonou Agreement – adopted in 2000 which aimed to reduce and eventually eradicate poverty.
IDNOWA members in Burkina Fasco are experiencing discrimination and hostility not only from service providers but also from family members and religious and traditional leaders.
Capt Ibrahim Traoré’s regime is spearheading an overhaul of marriage laws
Burkina Faso’s military junta has announced a ban on homosexual acts, making it the latest African state to crack down on same-sex relations despite strong opposition from Western powers.
Homosexuality was frowned upon in the socially conservative West African state, but it was never outlawed.
Justice Minister Edasso Rodrigue Bayala said the junta’s cabinet had now approved legislation to make it a punishable offence, but he did not give further details.
The military seized power in Burkina Faso in 2022, and has pivoted towards Russia after drastically reducing ties with former colonial power, France.
Homosexual acts were decriminalised in Russia in 1993, but President Vladimir Putin’s government has been cracking down on the LGBTQ community, including banning what it calls “propaganda of non-traditional sexual relations”.
The doctor forced to fight jihadists in Burkina Faso
Nigeria-EU deal sparks false claims over LGBT rights
The Nigerian queer parties that offer liberation
Burkina Faso’s decision to outlaw homosexual relations is part of an overhaul of its marriage laws.
The new legislation, which still needs to be passed by the military-controlled parliament and signed off by junta leader Ibrahim Traoré, only recognises religious and customary marriages.
“Henceforth homosexuality and associated practices will be punished by the law,” the justice minister was quoted by AFP news agency as saying.
Capt Traoré took power in September 2022 after overthrowing another military ruler, Lt Col Paul-Henri Damiba, accusing him of failing to quell an Islamist insurgency that has gripped Burkina Faso since 2015.
Burkina Faso was among 22 out of 54 African states where same-sex relations were not criminalised.
Unlike in many former British colonies, it did not inherit anti-homosexuality laws after independence from France in 1960.
Muslims make up around 64% of Burkina Faso’s population and Christians 26%. The remaining 10% of people follow traditional religions or have no faith.
Many African states have been taking a tougher stand against the LGBTQ community in recent years.
Uganda is among those that have adopted legislation recently to further crack down on the community, despite strong condemnation from local rights groups and Western powers.
In May, its Constitutional Court upheld a tough new anti-gay law that allows for the death penalty to be imposed for “aggravated homosexuality”, which includes having gay sex with someone below the age of 18 or where someone is infected with a life-long illness such as HIV.
Activists said they would appeal against the ruling.
The World Bank has halted new loans to President Yoweri Museveni’s government while the US has stopped giving Ugandan goods preferential access to its markets, following the adoption of the legislation last year.
Mr Museveni defended the legislation as preserving traditional family values, and said Uganda would not allow the West to dictate to it.
The daughter of Cameroon’s president drew mixed reaction after she came out as a lesbian last week.
Brenda Biya, who lives abroad, said she hoped that her coming out would help change the law banning same-sex relations in the country.
Cameroon has been ruled with an iron-hand by her 91-year-old father, Paul Biya, since 1982.
In Ghana, parliament passed a tough new bill in February that imposes a prison sentence of up to three years for anyone convicted of identifying as LGBTQ+.
However, President Nana Akufo-Addo has not signed it into law, saying he will wait for the courts to rule on its constitutionality.
The finance ministry has warned him that if the bill became law, Ghana could lose $3.8bn (£3bn) in World Bank funding over the next five to six years.
Ghana is suffering a major economic crisis and received a bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) last year.
More religious and faith-based leaders continue to add their voices to the call for further discussions on the much-talked about Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill, also called the anti-gay Bill.
The Bill, which was passed by Parliament in February this year, is yet to receive presidential assent due to some legal tussles around it.
Some of the religious leaders believe that the Bill, as it stands now, appears to be politically motivated and that the personal interests of those behind it have overshadowed the national interest.
This came to light in Techiman in the Bono East Region during a social dialogue with religious and faith-based leaders on human rights and rights-based approach to protecting and respecting the rights of sexual minorities in Ghana.
It was organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), an independent, not-for-profit research and advocacy think tank working to advance democracy, good governance and inclusive economic growth, in collaboration with the Centre for Religion and Public Life (CRPL-Ghana), a civil society group.
CDD-Ghana works to complement the broader objectives of strengthening democratic governance, the principles of popular participation and the demand for public accountability while CRPL[1]Ghana seeks to balance religion and spirituality in public life through research, education, lobbying and advocacy.
It became obvious during the dialogue session that a sizeable number of the populace has neither read nor been taken through the bill but are emotionally in support of it primarily based on their religious and cultural inclinations and what they have heard through the media.
Broader consultations
“There should have been a broader consultation for inputs from various interest groups because the Bill in its current state violates the fundamental human rights of some people. Even though we don’t accept LGBTQI+ but it’s too harsh to my liking and it must be reconsidered. Some aspects of Bill must not be allowed to remain and so I suggest that Parliament should float the process again for further discussions before it is laid on the floor again,” said Rev. Robert Boadi, the head pastor of the Techiman branch of the Evangelical Church of Ghana in an interview on the sidelines of the dialogue.
For his part, Rev. Augustine Agyapong Bae of the Trinity Congregation of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Techiman, wondered why the seeming pressure to pass the Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Bill today when Ghana’s current criminal code and other legal frameworks under the 1992 Constitution adequately deal with all the issues raised in the bill.
“I thought there were no laws in our statutes that deal with some of these things, but I have come to realise that there are laws that can adequately deal with anyone who engages in gay or lesbianism. We’re not saying nobody can make laws in the country, but it should be devoid of politics and emotions so that we don’t regret our actions in future,” he again said.
For his part, Rev. William Appiah Kubi, the head pastor of the Faith Baptist Church in Techiman, said the dialogue session had enlightened him and his colleagues on the Bill.
He noted that the proponents of the Bill appeared to have rushed the process leading to its passage without adequate consultations, adding that there are several provisions of the Bill that should either be revised or taken out completely because of their tendency to infringe upon other people’s fundamental human rights.
He said: “There will be a lot of chaos if this Bill is allowed to come into effect, so I think we need to broaden the discussion further for people to be adequately informed about the various provisions of it.”
Most participants also expressed similar concerns during separate interviews.
Dr. Michael Augustus Akagbor, Senior Programmes Officer of CDD-Ghana, was happy about the outcome of the dialogue, and gave the assurance that more of such engagements would be organised, going forward.
Misconceptions
“Usually, people come for such a programme with their preconceived perceptions, but through engagements we realised that a lot of the participants have not even read the Bill, and that’s the danger of language. These are people of authority, and once they say something people consider it to be true. So, it’s good that we’ve been able to engage with them,” he stated.
He said CDD-Ghana would continue to engage with various stakeholder groups on the issue, adding that “the more people understand this Bill, the more they come to the realization that it is not good for our country.”
The Executive Director of the CRPL-Ghana, Rev. Dr. Confidence Bansah, reminded religious leaders to mindful of the teachings of Jesus Christ, which are mainly centred on peace, love and reconciliation. He said Christians are the salt and the light of the world and must therefore act in a way that would ensure that people live in unity and in harmony devoid of any discrimination.
John, a priest ordained in a mainstream church, remembers struggling all his life to reconcile his sexual orientation with his calling to be a church minister.
Facing homophobia after being outed in church, he started searching for queer affirming theology and spaces within Christian communities.
He shares his story on how finding a queer-affirming church in Kenya changed his life and his calling to priesthood.
Speaker of the Ghana Parliament, Rt Hon Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, has reaffirmed his commitment to opposing the legalization of LGBTQ+ activities in Ghana.
He disclosed this at Our Lady Seat of Wisdom Catholic Church in Oyarifa, Accra, during its Patronal Feast Day.
Rt Hon Bagbin declared that he would rather die than support LGBTQ+ rights, which he believes are driven by negative forces and should not be accepted in Ghana.
He criticized European countries for promoting homosexuality in the African continent and urged the Catholic community to disregard media claims that the Pope has endorsed LGBTQ+ activities.
Speaker Bagbin stated that LGBTQ+ rights do not exist anywhere in the world and will not be legalized in Ghana during his tenure.
“Let me say that, as a Catholic, I will not do anything that will end the world and as I always say, I prefer to die fighting against these homosexual activities than to protect their so-called rights,” the Speaker of Parliament said.
The anti-gay bill, which promotes traditional family values, has been passed by Parliament and is awaiting the President’s assent to become law.
Rt Hon Bagbin praised the Catholic Church for its support and contributions to national development, particularly in education, health, and social services.
He highlighted the Church’s role in advocating for social justice and human rights, including efforts to abolish the death penalty and criminalize witchcraft accusations.
“Let me commend the church for taking the principled stand of speaking out against injustice and championing the cause of the marginalized. This important role by the church ensures that the nation moves towards greater equity and inclusion, creating a just society where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.”
“Indeed, it is an open secret that many of the schools, hospitals, and charitable organizations that provide essential services, especially in underserved communities in Ghana have been led by the Church. These institutions do not only address the immediate needs of the people but also empower individuals through education and healthcare, thus contributing to a more informed and healthier populace,” Speaker Bagbin added.
He urged the Church to continue pressing the Executive to pass important legislation, such as the Armed Forces Amendment Act and laws against witchcraft accusations. Bagbin also donated GHS20,000 towards the Church’s new chapel project, emphasizing the importance of promoting ethical and moral values.
In his sermon, Most Rev. John Kobina Louis encouraged church members to seek the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus, for wisdom and endurance.
The Church’s Pastoral Council Chairman, Henry Adjei expressed gratitude to Rt Hon Bagbin and the Auxiliary Bishop for their support.
According to him, the Church started 28 years ago and has a congregation of over 1,500 members, noting that, the new chapel project is estimated to host over 2000 congregations when completed and assured that the Speaker and the Bishop would be invited for commissioning.
The subject of gay rights came up at a student forum attended by French politician Jean-Luc Mélenchon (L) and Senegal’s Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko (R) (c)AFP
A Senegalese court has jailed two men for “spreading false news” after they accused Ousmane Sonko, the country’s new prime minister, of tolerating homosexuality.
Activist Bah Diakhate and Imam Cheikh Ahmed Tidiane Ndao were jailed for three months and fined 100,000 CFA francs ($165, £130) each.
They had been angered that Mr Sonko had allowed a visiting French politician to express his support for same-sex marriages.
Homosexual acts are banned in the mainly Muslim West African country and are punishable by up to five years in prison.
The political activist and the preacher were arrested two weeks ago after posting a video attacking Mr Sonko for giving a platform to Jean-Luc Mélenchon, a far-left French politician.
Mr Mélenchon gave his opinion about same-sex marriages at a student forum in the capital, Dakar, in mid-May.
His comments reportedly sparked boos from the audience at Cheikh Anta Diop University.
In response Mr Sonko said that Western countries should show restraint on social matters such as LGBTQ rights as it could “lead to anti-Western sentiment”.
Senegal would continue to manage issues around homosexuality in accordance with its socio-cultural norms, the prime minister said.
He was quoted as saying that homosexuality was “not accepted, but tolerated” in Senegal.
Mr Sonko, a former firebrand opposition leader, was appointed prime minister in April after his ally Bassirou Diomaye Faye was elected president.
They were freed from prison not long before the vote in an amnesty aimed at calming months of political turmoil after the outgoing president had tried to postpone the election.
The pair campaigned on a promise of radical change – with an Afrocentric and nationalist agenda, promising to reset Senegal’s relationship with France, the country’s former colonial power.
Africa is a diverse continent with many cultures, norms, languages, and belief systems. Africa is also a continent where LGBTQIA+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex, Asexual, and other nonbinary identities) persons experience exceptional human rights violations. Consensual same-sex sexual acts are criminalised in 31 countries, with the death penalty indicated in Mauritania, Nigeria, and Uganda. Incarceration ranges from one-year imprisonment in Liberia to life imprisonment in Sierra Leone, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and The Gambia.
Queerness is constantly portrayed as a Western import. This misconception fuels anti-gender sentiments, coupled with cultural and religious biases, denies LGBTQIA+ individuals their right to be themselves and has resulted in systemic and social forms of discrimination and violence against queer persons. Although some progress has been made globally in recent years towards recognising and proclaiming these rights, the struggle for LGBTQIA+ rights in Africa remains an uphill battle with no end in sight.
Historical context
The acceptance or non-acceptance of sexual and gender diversities in pre-colonial African societies varies. In pre-colonial Africa, queerness was exhibited in various ways, including, but not limited to, identities such as ‘mudoko dako‘ and ‘goor jiggen’, effeminate men in Lango, northern Uganda and Senegal, respectively, who were regarded as women and could marry men in Northern Uganda; ‘inkotshane‘ which was a form of male-male sexual relations in Basotho, southern Africa, and ‘motsoalle‘, which referred to intimate relationships between women in Lesotho.
Colonialism significantly reshaped African societies and imposed Western ideas about sexuality and gender.
Colonial powers imposed their own cultural and religious values. They introduced anti-sodomy laws and moral codes that criminalized same-sex relationships and non-binary gender expressions, which has contributed to the stigmatisation of LGBTQIA+ individuals in the present day.
The British Empire, for example, introduced anti-sodomy laws in many African colonies. These laws criminalised homosexual acts and reflected Victorian-era British values. Other European colonial powers, such as the French and Portuguese, also influenced their respective colonies’ legal and social landscape. These laws and norms continue to exist in some African countries to date.
Cheerful queer persons working. Photo via Shutterstock.
Decriminalisation movements
In recent years, Africa has experienced a growing movement to decriminalise queer identities and expressions across the region. This movement has faced setbacks and successes, but it represents a crucial step towards achieving LGBTQIA+ rights and freedoms across the continent.
South Africa is often regarded as a leader in LGBTQIA+ rights in Africa. In 1996, it implemented a new Constitution that included a bill of rights explicitly listing sexual orientation as a protected class. South Africa became the first country in the world to protect individuals from discrimination based on sexual orientation constitutionally. Same-sex marriage has been legal since 2006.
Mozambique revised its penal code in 2014, decriminalising homosexuality. This change was seen as a positive step, albeit limited in its immediate impact due to entrenched social stigma. Seychelles followed suit, where same-sex relationships were decriminalised in 2016. This change in the law was a significant milestone for LGBTQIA+ rights in the country. In January 2019, Angola decriminalised homosexuality by revising its criminal code. This move made Angola one of the first African countries to prohibit discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation. In June 2019, Botswana overturned a colonial-era law criminalising homosexuality, marking a significant turning point in the fight for LGBTQIA+ rights in Africa and inspiring hope in other nations.
Despite these promising developments, many African countries still maintain existing legislation and pass new laws to criminalise homosexuality, often justified on the grounds of tradition, culture, and religion. These laws facilitate the arrest, intimidation, and persecution of LGBTQIA+ people. LGBTQIA+ people also navigate the social stigma regarding their identities, which often results in exclusion and discrimination in several spheres of life, including work, school, and healthcare.
Religious and cultural objections are frequently peddled against LGBTQIA+ rights, which fuel hate crimes and other forms of harassment without consequence.
Organising for LGBTQIA+ rights
As LGBTQIA+ organisations continue advocating for rights and inclusion, they face a myriad of challenges that often hinder their progress. They primarily lack technical support, leading to a shortage of human resources, tools, services, and safety plans for staff, which impacts the efficiency of their operations and advocacy efforts. The limited ability to recruit and retain qualified staff further poses significant obstacles to sustained advocacy initiatives.
Organisational limitations also hinder resource mobilisation outside of project calls, restricting LGBTQIA+ organisations’ ability to access necessary funding and support. Insufficient recognition of the contributions of independent activists to the movement’s growth further hinders sustainability. Additionally, LGBTQIA+ activism faces financial challenges with limited access to information on funding opportunities, compounded by language barriers, as most calls are in English. The complex and tedious application processes exacerbate this issue, leading to uneven and competitive funding. Overreliance on one-off foreign grants also threatens financial stability and sustainability, as does the lack of core or multi-year funding, which is crucial for maintaining activities and skilled human resources.
Despite these challenges, LGBTQIA+ organizations continue to persevere, leveraging their resilience and determination to overcome obstacles. Collaborative efforts, strategic partnerships, and advocacy initiatives are crucial to fostering a more inclusive and supportive environment for LGBTQIA+ activism in Africa.
A trans person with his partner. Photo via Shutterstock
Glimmers of African queer liberation
LGBTQIA+ activists around Africa have accomplished great things despite these obstacles. There’s been a rise in thriving LGBTQIA+ groups working on community-building, advocacy, and assistance. Some of these groups are strongholds and change-inducing agents, putting forth an endless effort to combat prejudice and advance equality.
In Kenya, galck+ stands as a beacon of hope, advocating for rights and challenging discriminatory policies. Galck+ has been influential in forming working relationships and alliances with government institutions and civil society organisations, which inspire a society that appreciates diversity and recognises equality for everyone irrespective of their sexual orientation, gender, and expression.
South Africa’s Iranti works to advance LGBTQIA+ rights through research, media campaigning, critical engagement, mobilisation, and reframing perceptions through storytelling. It also raises awareness of LGBTQIA+ issues to reduce stigmatisation and discrimination and shares inspiring tales of resiliency.
The Initiative for Equal Rights – TIERs Nigeria uses research and documentaries to increase awareness and understanding. TIERs promotes equal rights for LGBTQIA+ people through community development, activism, and legal support.
CHEVS West Africa works to advance social justice outcomes and strengthen LGBTQI+ movements across the West African region by transforming power systems, reimagining movement resourcing, enhancing queer visibility and expression, and knowledge and insights generation and management.
The Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) works in 10 West African countries, promoting respect for individuals regardless of faith or sexual orientation. Through dialogue with media, faith-based groups, and communities, IDNOWA bridges religious divides and changes attitudes towards LGBTQI individuals.
In the heart of Botswana, Legabibo embarked on a monumental journey to secure LGBTQI+ peoples’ rights to freedom of association. Through relentless advocacy and legal battles, Legabibo paved the way for a historic court decision that finally recognized the eligibility of LGBTQIA+ groups for registration in Botswana, a significant step forward in the fight for equality and acceptance.
In Uganda, SMUG International stood unwavering in the face of adversity, championing the rights of stigmatised and persecuted minorities. Despite facing threats and navigating legal hurdles, SMUG International, a resilient umbrella coalition, fiercely advocated for LGBTQIA+ rights and played a pivotal role in opposing the notorious “Anti-LGBTQ Bill.”
In Namibia, the Equal Rights Movement has been at the forefront of advancing LGBTQIA+ rights despite facing social barriers. Leveraging community support, advocating for legal reforms, and spearheading awareness initiatives, Equality Namibia has made significant strides in promoting inclusion and equality for all.
Across the continent, Pan Africa ILGA emerged as a formidable force, uniting LGBTQIA+ activists in a common mission to advance rights and foster acceptance. Through collaborative efforts and strategic advocacy, this regional group engaged with legislators to push for legislative reforms to improve LGBTQIA+ rights throughout Africa.
Organizing against all odds, the tenacity and resilience of LGBTQIA+ activists in Africa should be recognised, underscoring the transformative impact of collective action and advocacy. From challenging discrimination to advocating for equal rights and creating supportive communities, these activists continue to inspire hope and drive progress toward a more inclusive and equitable Africa.
Elsie Prah is a dedicated activist, working to build a strong feminist movement and promote solidarity as a member of the human rights organisation at Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA). Elsie focuses on LGBTQ+ rights and strives to create a more visible, inclusive and equitable society for marginalised communities. Elsie is passionate about addressing climate change, tech, feminism, gender inequalities and fighting disability injustice.
This story is part of a series in collaboration with the Yemoja Feminista Fellowship by CHEVS, a queer feminist organisation dedicated to advancing social justice and strengthening LGBTQI+ movements across West Africa. The series features insightful analyses, and fervent calls to action from young feminists addressing issues across gender, culture, and human rights in West Africa. The stories offer personal viewpoints on the struggles and victories of feminist activism in the region and the critiques of systemic injustices. The authors prompt us to face uncomfortable realities, question entrenched norms, and imagine a future where all people are free to live authentically and thrive.
Amidst growing complexities, regressive attitudes and laws targeting LGBTQIA+ rights, attacks on sexual and reproductive health rights by anti-gender networks, and the enduring impact of colonial legacies and harmful cultural practices, storytelling remains a vital tool. It challenges stereotypes, centers marginalized and minoritized voices, advocates for healing justice and collective care. In stories we honor the legacy of African feminisms and the tireless work to dismantle intersecting oppressive systems and create a vision of the future grounded in equity, justice, and love. – Rosebell Kagumire, Editor, African Feminism.
Open Letter from the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa to the Most Rev. Philip Naameh, Chair of the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference
05 March 2024
Dear Most Rev. Philip Naameh,
We urge you and the Catholic bishops in Ghana to reconsider your stance toward the now-passed “Human Sexual Rights and Family Values Act, 2024.” Ask the President not to assent to it. Pledge to support LGBT+ Ghanaians with human rights advocacy and pastoral care. Take back the religious independence which this Act wrongfully arrogates to the civil authority.
We urge you and your fellow bishops to read the Act carefully. This Act criminalizes people who “hold out as” LGBT+ (section 4.1). It criminalizes spiritual caregivers, family, and friends, who do not immediately report LGBT+ people to the police (sections 4 and 17). And it protects anti-LGBT+ media which styles itself as a “response to any form of advocacy or activism,” no matter how “graphic” or hateful that media may be
Criminalizing people on the basis of their inward dispositions is wrong. As Pope Francis stated on 5 February, 2023: “Criminalising people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice.” We urge you to follow the Pope’s leadership.
LGBT+ people often share their thoughts and their struggles with spiritual caregivers, family, and friends. Forcing these caregivers to report LGBT+ people to the police is a shocking overreach of government power. How can spiritual leaders like yourselves tolerate such a provision in the law?
Giving sanction to graphic anti-LGBT+ propaganda in education, instruction, and public media encourages hatred and violence. To support this kind of legalized vitriol is to cry “Peace! Peace!” where there is no peace (Jer 6:14).
Your support for this Act has created panic among many of the LGBT+ people of Ghana, and among many of the people who love them. Those who look to you for action are desperate. Many turn to the Church as a last place of refuge and support. Do not chase souls away. Do not lead our society into greater conflict and vitriol. Do not abandon the persecuted, and lead their persecutors astray.
IDNOWA affirms the teaching of the Catholic Church that LGBT+ people “must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity;” that “every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided” (CCC 2358).
We believe that our sexual orientations and gender identities belong to God’s creation and are part of his plan for the salvation of humankind, while the Magisterium of the Catholic Church teaches that “homosexual acts are intrinsically disordered” and that “under no circumstances can they be approved” (CCC 2357). On this we disagree. But we affirm with you the Magisterium’s teaching on the dignity of LGBT+ people: “It is deplorable that homosexual persons have been and are the object of violent malice in speech or in action. Such treatment deserves condemnation from the Church’s pastors wherever it occurs. It reveals a kind of disregard for others which endangers the most fundamental principles of a healthy society.” No matter what a person may “hold out” to be, “the intrinsic dignity of each person must always be respected in word, in action and in law” (Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on the Pastoral Care of Homosexual Persons, 10). On this, all people of good will should agree.
Now that the Act has been passed by Parliament, the Ghanaian government has begun to weigh its costs and its dangers. The bishops, too, should weigh its effects very carefully.
We urge you to ask the President not to assent to it.
We urge you to pledge your support for the human rights of LGBT+ Ghanaians; and for their right to access pastoral care and personal counselling in freedom.
If this law gains Presidential assent, we urge you to support LGBT+ Ghanaians and the people who love them with legal assistance. Give them lawyers and legal support when they are arrested and jailed under this unjust and un-Christian law.
In the past several years, IDNOWA has made efforts to engage with you and the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference, but we have never received an invitation to further dialogue. In the spirit of synodality, ask us to talk with you. Walk together with us, so that you can hear the voices of LGBT+ Ghanaians – both Catholic and non-Catholic. Let us together build a more peaceful, more just society.
Sincerely, Davis Mac Iyalla Executive Director of Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa interfaithdiversitynowa@gmail.com
Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa 