SECURING THE HUMAN RIGHTS OF LGBTIQ PERSONS ACROSS AFRICA: THE PROBLEM WITHIN

Abstract

For  the  West  and  international  human  rights  community,  the  human  rights  of  LGBTIQ  (lesbian,  gay,bisexual, transgender,  intersex,  queer)persons consist  of  a  full  set  of rights  including  life,  dignity,  equality,  privacy,  sexual orientation  and  non-discrimination.  However,  in  most  parts  of  the  world  the  enjoyment  of  theserights  are  often ignored or deprived. In most of Sub-Saharan Africa, LGBTIQ rights suchas homosexuality and same-sex marriage are  believed  to  be  unnatural and  un-African.  LGBTIQ  persons  are  also  considered  as  perverse  and  immoral,  and often stigmatized, discriminated and deprived of basic social benefits and legal rights, in some cases, including the right  to  life.  This  paper  explores  common  threats  faced  by  LGBTIQ  persons  in  selected  African  countries.  Using desktop  review,  it  argues  that  currently,  core  Afrocentric  beliefs  are  biased  against  the  LGBTIQ,  hence,  securing LGBTIQ  rights  in  the  sub-region  is  a  mission  impossible.  It  makes  a  critique  of  this  finding  and  concludes  that despite  Western-induced  international  socio-economic  and  political  pressure  on  Africa,  as  well  as  broad  activism and  agitations  for  the  recognition  of  LGBTIQ  rights  across  Africa  and  globally,  the  African  sub-region  remains generally opposed to these ‘new rights’.