Today, on IDAHOTBIT 2026, the Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA) joins millions across the world to affirm a simple truth: every human being carries inherent dignity, and no law, doctrine, or political agenda can erase the image of the Divine within us.
Across our region, LGBTIQ+ people continue to face violence, criminalization, forced displacement, and the weaponization of religion and culture. In recent years, we have witnessed a dangerous rise in state‑sponsored hostility, misinformation, and moral panic—conditions that threaten not only queer lives, but the moral fabric of our societies. When fear becomes policy, and prejudice becomes law, entire communities are pushed into silence, poverty, and despair.
IDNOWA refuses this future. We stand firmly in the belief that faith is not a weapon. Faith is a source of compassion, justice, and liberation. Our traditions—Christian, Muslim, traditional, and indigenous—teach us to protect the vulnerable, honour truth, and defend the sanctity of life. Any theology that justifies hatred is a distortion of sacred wisdom.
This year, we lift up three commitments:
1. We commit to protecting life.
Every LGBTIQ+ person deserves safety in their home, their school, their mosque, their church, their workplace, and their nation. We call on governments to repeal harmful laws, end arbitrary arrests, and uphold constitutional protections for all citizens.
2. We commit to truth-telling.
We challenge the false narratives that portray queer people as threats to culture or faith. Our communities have always existed in West Africa. We are family members, leaders, workers, believers, and nation-builders. Our existence is not a debate.
3. We commit to solidarity and healing.
In this moment of fear and repression, we choose community over isolation. We choose courage over silence. We choose healing over harm. We honour activists, survivors, allies, and faith leaders who continue to defend human rights at great personal risk.
As we mark IDAHOTBIT 2026, we call on religious leaders, policymakers, and citizens across West Africa to rise above fear and embrace a vision of justice rooted in compassion. The measure of any society is how it treats those most marginalized. Our region cannot claim moral authority while denying people the right to live, love, and thrive.
To every LGBTIQ+ person across West Africa: you are not alone. Your life is sacred. Your identity is valid. Your story matters. We see you. We honour you. We will continue to fight beside you.
IDNOWA remains steadfast in building a West Africa where diversity is celebrated, human rights are protected, and no one is left behind.
Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa 