Uganda: End Violence Against LGBTI+ Communities

Uganda’s Parliament has violated the human rights of LGBTI+ communities by passing a discriminatory bill called the ‘2023 Anti-Homosexuality Bill.’ People found guilty of ‘attempted homosexuality’ under this bill may be incarcerated for up to 10 years or even face death penalty.

The bill not only criminalizes consensual same-sex relationships but those who are trans, gender-nonconforming or gender diverse. The bill’s ‘aggravated homosexuality’ provision also alarmingly calls for death penalty for ‘serial offenders’ – described as those who are engaged in same-sex relationships with people under the age of 18 or when the alleged harm-doer is living with HIV.

The bill will now be presented to Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni who can either veto or sign it into law.

If passed as law, the legislation will violate multiple human rights guaranteed under the Ugandan Constitution and international human rights instruments that Uganda is a party to, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

This kind of (bill) cannot stand in a country that professes to uphold (the fundamental) principles of human rights of all

Alan Nusubunga, Ugandan LGBTI+ advocate

Uganda’s LGBTI+ people, loved ones, grassroots organizations, civil society and advocacy groups are fighting hard to push back against this Bill.

Stand in solidarity with them.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Speak out with LGBTI+ communities against this legislation, for freedom from gender and sexual discrimination, for their right to freedom of expression, association, privacy, dignity, and equality and for their right to a fair hearing. Attend ongoing events or demonstrations in your locality or online.

Express solidarity on social media with the hashtags #SpeakoutwithUgandanLGBTI and #StoptheAntiLBTIbill

You can also share the following suggested tweets on social media:

Sign and share our online action calling on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Government of Canada to amplify support for Ugandan LGTBI+ communities and human rights defenders by:

• Creating an emergency response fund to support LGBTI+ led organizations that are defending human rights in Uganda.
• Creating flexible visas for LGBTI+ Ugandans and human rights defenders who are at risk of violence and human rights abuses and funding resettlement and support programs for them in Canada.
• Calling on the Government of Uganda to uphold its duty to respect and protect the human rights of LGTBI+ communities in multilateral spaces, as outlined under the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights by:
  • Urging President Yoweri Museveni to immediately veto the harmful legislation
  • Urging the Government of Uganda to scrap the legislation altogether
  • Repealing Penal code provisions that criminalize same-sex and gender diverse relationships.
  • Repealing Penal code provisions that call for the death penalty.
  • Introducing constitutional, legal, socio-cultural and economic measures to protect LGBTI+ actions.

Read More

Read Amnesty International’s March 22 press release Uganda: Reject anti-LGBTI law that criminalizes same-sex sexual activity

Listen to Alan Nsubunga from SMUG and Human Rights Watch speak out about the impact of the ‘Anti-Homosexuality’ Bill on trans and gender diverse communities in Uganda

Read, share and retweet Dignity Network’s advocacy work on the issue