Davis – Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa

I consider it a great honour to have participated and represented IDNOWA at the just-concluded Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) Conference in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The theme of the conference, UNBREAKABLE, resonated deeply with me—both personally and in the work we do at IDNOWA. In the face of the growing rise of anti-rights and anti-gender groups, movements, and cooperatives, many of us have been resisting to the point of reaching breaking limits. Yet, through the true values of community spirit and Ubuntu, we remain strong and focused.

Throughout the conference, I engaged in several workshops and panels—sometimes as a speaker, other times as a listener. From my arrival to my departure, there was no wasted time; it was serious business of human rights and advocacy.

At the Annual General Meeting (AGM), nearly 150 registered members contributed to discussions on issues affecting our continent and beyond. We also elected new Board Members who will pilot the affairs of PAI alongside the Secretariat for the next three years.

IDNOWA particularly thanks and appreciates Nate Brown and the outgoing Board for demonstrating leadership even in the midst of serious divisions, and for hosting one of the best PAI conferences to date. We especially commend Nate Brown for using his platform to raise the issues of bullying, harassment, and their mental impacts—not only on himself but on his entire team.

While a few participants came with biased agendas to discredit others and the Secretariat, the majority of conference participants stayed focused on the goals. Accountability was clearly demonstrated at every stage, and IDNOWA was impressed.

We encourage the incoming PAI Board to demonstrate inclusive leadership that works for all of us. Everyone must be safeguarded—including our members, the Secretariat, and its leader, Nate Brown. Let us not leave anyone behind.

Nana Davis Mac-Iyalla

Executive Director, IDNOWA

Visibility is not a luxury—it is a lifeline. In West Africa, where LGBTQ+ individuals are often forced into silence by religious dogma, cultural stigma, and punitive laws, being seen is an act of resistance. It is also an act of truth. Visibility affirms that queer Africans exist, contribute, lead, and love. It challenges the myth that LGBTQ+ identities are foreign or shameful. It reclaims ancestral wisdom that once honored diversity before colonial doctrines taught us to fear it.

Today, visibility is more urgent than ever. We are witnessing a troubling rise in religious and traditional homophobia, often weaponized by national parliamentarians who act not as protectors of their people, but as instruments of repression. These lawmakers—some emboldened by Western collaborators who export anti-LGBT+ ideology—are pushing harsh legislation that criminalizes identity, advocacy, and even compassion. Their goal is not morality—it is control. Their method is fear.

In this climate, the work of the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) is not only relevant—it is indispensable. IDNOWA stands at the intersection of faith, tradition, and justice. We engage religious and cultural leaders in dialogue, educate communities, and amplify the voices of those who have been silenced. We do not import activism—we reclaim it. Our work is rooted in African values of Ubuntu, dignity, and spiritual resilience.

IDNOWA’s presence reminds the region—and the world—that inclusion is not a Western agenda. It is a human imperative. It is a return to truth. As anti-LGBT+ forces grow louder, we must grow more visible. We must show that queer Africans are not outsiders—we are part of the continent’s story, its spirit, and its future.

To every LGBTQ+ person in West Africa: your visibility is sacred. Your existence is not a threat—it is a gift. And to those who seek to erase us: we will not disappear. We will organize, educate, and rise. Because visibility is not just about being seen—it is about being free.

Signed,
Nana Davis Mac-Iyalla
Executive Director
Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa
(IDNOWA)

Tag: Davis

IDNOWA Executive Director Reflects on the Pan Africa ILGA Conference

Statement: The Power of Visibility in the Fight for Inclusion and LGBT+ Human Rights in West Africa