ILGA – Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa

The Executive Director and Members of Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNOWA ) participated at the ILGA (the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association) World Conference 2024 in Cape Town, South Africa.

The ILGA World Conference is the largest global gathering of LGBTIQ changemakers. They have held them since the early days of the organisation in the 1970s.

An ILGA World Conference is a chance to assess where our communities stand, share experiences and best practices, build alliances and partnerships, discuss the future of the movement, and collectively chart ways to advance equality worldwide.

ILGA World Conference is also where the life of the organisation is shaped. ILGA members elect their representatives, advance proposals and constitutional changes, and endorse new organisations to join our family.

ILGA World is queer democracy in action, and it all starts from ILGA World Conferences.

In his closing remarks, Davis Mac-Iyalla, IDNOWA Executive Director, said,

We can’t change the world in one week, but we can try to listen to each other and find strategies to change the negative attitude and discrimination towards us and our community.
We are stronger together in this struggle. Let’s not allow our enemies to divide us and set the ring for us to fight each other while they watch in jubilation.
As an African, my concepts for dialogue are always Ubuntu.”

About ILGA

On their website (ilga.org/) ILGA says,

ILGA World – the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association – is a worldwide federation of more than 1,900 organisations from over 160 countries and territories campaigning for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex human rights.

We want a world where the human rights of all are respected and where everyone can live in equality and freedom: a world where global justice and equity are assured and established regardless of people’s sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics (SOGIESC).

Established in 1978, ILGA World has ECOSOC consultative status at the United Nations.

Blog, Events, Press

ILGA World Conference 2022. Held 2-6 May 2022, Long Beach, California.

August 5, 2022 Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

IDNOWA Executive Director Davis Mac-Iyalla and Project Assistant Daniel Uchechkwu represented the network at the world conference.

The ILGA World Conference is a place to assess where our communities stand, share experiences and best practices, build alliances and partnerships, discuss the future of our movement, and collectively chart ways to advance equality worldwide. The 31st edition of the ILGA World Conference took place from 2 to 6 May 2022 in LA Long Beach, hosted by the It Gets Better Project under the theme LGBTIQ youth: future present change.

IDNOWA fully participated in the conference including speaking at the interfaith pre-conference organized by the Global Interfaith Network (GIN)

IDNOWA focused mostly on issues affecting the marginalized LGBTIQ+ community in West Africa such as social injustice, economic disparities, climate change, and criminalization based on sexual identities and orientations, to mention but a few of the deadly presence we are battling against.

Events

ILGA World Conference, Wellington, New Zealand 2019

April 6, 2019April 6, 2019 Interfaith Diversity Network Of West Africa

IDNOWA as a proud member of ILGA were able to attend this conference. We took part in an inter-faith pre-conferences, workshops and various panels. On our arrival, we were sadden to hear about the shootings in Christ Church. We were able to attend the vigil for the 50 Muslims that were killed at Christ Church.

We took part in the regional pan-African Caucus of ILGA, contributing to strategies and organising the next conference in West Africa.

At the conference, we were able to establish links with other inter-faith networks and groups who were also attending the conference.

Davis Mac-Iyalla, Executive Director, along with other partners organised a workshop called “Freedom for all” LGBTI, Women, HIV/AIDS – By countering Religious Right. The workshop was well attended. Participants engaged and learnt more about West Africa and the impact of colonisation on women and LGBTI groups.