Transgender Equality Uganda held a two day feminist and movement building forum from the 14th to the 15th February, 2023. The forum was aimed at building a collective vision and share perspectives to catalyze national effort, to address and prevent Gender Based Violence (GBV) committed against LBTQ women and female sex workers, revising strategies to promote SRHR justice, growth, healing and transformation healing as a movement. Revising strategies to reclaim the shrinking spaces for LBTQ women and female ex workers within the movement.
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For the government institutions it is an opportunity to distract a little from the hundreds of corruption investigations into their agencies and their response. In the late 2000s and early 2010s, it was Temangalo; now it's Uganda Airlines and NSSF.
When I say it is all the same tired, recycled stuff; believe me and the unfortunate thing is that it is guaranteed to work every time.
Predicted headline; March 1st, 2023 “We have outlawed the rainbow because it has been discovered that homosexuals paint the sky!” It sounds ridiculous but then again so was repainting a children’s park because the colors were apparently about homosexuality or claiming bata is selling shoes that can turn you gay. The whole country has been thrown into gay panic to the extent that certain schools have come up with a policy on homosexuality hanging on their walls and are signing petitions to outlaw the rainbow.
The office has been in talks with the government of Uganda about the terms of their continuance in the country and on January 4, 2023 sent an application for the renewal of the Host Country Agreement between the government of Uganda and the mandate. The ministry of internal affairs however says that given the strong government commitment to the promotion and protection of Human Rights, the prevailing peace throughout the country, coupled with strong National Human Rights Institutions and a vibrant Civil Society — with the capacity to monitor the promotion and protection of human rights throughout the country, it can no longer renew the mandate beyond the current term.
Due to the gags and intolerant policies in main stream media towards sexual and gender diverse persons, we have found that our communities seek solace in the internet. In fact Kuchu Times Media Group is the pioneer of alternative media use in Uganda and East Africa and continues to run almost 90% on the internet aside from a few print publications that also have online versions.
Speaking to Ugandan LGBTQ+ activist Kasha Jacquilne Nabageresa, this is what she had to say about Davis, “I have worked with Davis for so many years and one thing about him is that he is so development oriented. He doesn’t only concentrate on his activism but all round social activism. I have followed his journey to become a chief for years now. I actually envy that community because I wish it was happening in my own backyard.
Over the years of the LGBT+ movement, there have been friends made along the way who have dedicated their resources to fight against the prevalent discrimination of sexual and gender diverse persons in Uganda. The fruits from these allies and friendships that have been formed along the way are evident as for example, as of COP 2020, Uganda’s HIV/AIDS response recognizes and provides support to men who have sex with men and transgender persons. This among many milestones the community would not have reached on her own.
The LGBTQI+ community absolutely rejects any suggestion that our community is linked to non-consensual interpersonal behaviors especially the heinous acts of pedophiles. As a community we condemn all acts of child molestation and abuse and encourage the duty bearers to deal with any such culprits as the law states.
It is important to commemorate human rights defenders because they are the bedrock of sustainable and equitable development for all.
David Kato (RIP), a famous LGBT rights campaigner and openly gay man, was brutally killed at his house outside Kampala on January 26, 2011. Ugandan gay rights activist David Kato found murdered | Uganda | The Guardian.
The late David Kato’s death took away a strong and articulate advocate from the LGBT+ community, and it is only appropriate to commemorate him every year.
As the LGBTIQ+ community of Uganda, we condemn any acts of child molestation and are as eager as any Ugandan to see justice be served to those innocent boys. We shall follow the story closely and await the feedback from the investigation by the Church of Uganda.