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 these rights are often ignored or deprived. In most of Sub-Saharan Africa, LGBTIQ rights such as 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’.