Queer in East Africa

In East Africa, new bills to increase criminalisation of the LGBTQI+ community and hostility by populations against queer people have taken on frightening proportions in recent weeks and months: Growing resentment, violent attacks and hate messages on social media are exacerbating the safety situation of queer people in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.

In Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni signed the so-called "Anti-Homosexuality Bill", which had already been passed by parliament in March. People who are living openly queer face hefty fines, long-term prison sentences and even the death penalty. In previous months, the number of arrests based on the pre-existing legislation that criminalises "practising homosexuality" was on the rise. Kenya, previously considered to be a relatively liberal environment for queer people from the region, is facing  similar problems. The “Family Values Bill” also dubbed “The Jamii Bill” is scheduled to be tabled in Parliament. The proposed bill, similar to the law in Uganda, seeks to criminalise LGBTQI+ persons. The two aforementioned bills threaten to drastically worsen the already fragile situation of queer people and LGBTQI+ organisations.

Our event will centre the conversation around the current working and living environment for the queer community. What are activists and human rights organisations doing in the fight against the resentments and the passed and proposed bills and what support can Germany provide – especially in light with its recently initiated guidelines for feminist foreign- and development policy?

With:

Dr. Stella Nyanzi, anthropologist, author and activist for women's and LGBTQI+ rights.
Maureen Odera, Programme Coordinator for Gender Democracy at hbs Nairobi
Max Lucks, Member of the German Parliament, Bündis 90/Die Grünen

Moderation: Dominik Djialeu, podcaster, actor and moderator

The event will take place at the Heinrich Boell Foundation in Berlin, registration is requested.

Contact

Elisabeth Massute
Africa Division
E massute@boell.de