Category: Southern Africa
African Human Rights Commission affirms intersex people’s rights
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The African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, [...]
Pope says homosexuality not a crime
Pope Francis this week called for the repeal of laws against homosexuality.
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Activists launch website to document trans and intersex African history
A group of activists has launched an initiative to document and preserve the history of trans and intersex Africans and their struggle for equal right [...]
Zambia: Archbishop’s anti-LGBTQ+ appeal comes under fire from all sides
LGBTIQ+ rights advocates in Zambia fear that a recent anti-LGBTQ+ proclamation by the local Roman Catholic archbishop will escalate the ongoing anti-g [...]
In a first for Lesotho, trans candidate seeks seat in parliament
An Oct. 7 election in the South African country of Lesotho will decide whether the nation will get its first openly trans member of parliament.
[...]
Commentary: Sex test of Zambian footballer is a human rights violation
The international governing body for football/soccer has ruled that a Zambian woman cannot play on the Zambian women's team based on sex testing proce [...]
Another attack in South Africa, a land of pro-gay laws and anti-gay violence
A 24-year-old Durban man remains in hospital almost a week after he was beaten by three men in a brutal anti-LGBTIQ+ hate crime.
From the Afr [...]
High Court in Eswatini blocks recognition of LGBTQ rights group
The High Court in Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) last week rejected an appeal for legal recognition by the local LGBTQ rights group Eswatini Sexual &am [...]
South Africa president praises his nation for embracing gay rights
South African President, Matamela Cyril Ramaphosa has praised South Africa for creating a conducive environment for homosexuals to practice same-sex m [...]
Another South African LGBTQIA+ activist stabbed to death
A South African LGBTQIA+ activist was stabbed to death on Sunday, March 20, allegedly because she spurned a man who proclaimed his love for her.
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LGBTQ entrepreneurs in Zimbabwe call for more business support
At a business summit in Zimbabwe, LGBTQ entrepreneurs called for increased financial support for their businesses, as well as improved access to skill [...]
South Africa, stop the murders of LGBTI people
Global human rights organisation Human Rights Watch has formally written to the South African government about killings and assaults on LGBTI people " [...]
Botswana’s president meets LGBT activists, supports their work
In a landmark meeting with representatives of the LGBT rights group LEGABIBO, Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi vowed to protect LGBT persons' huma [...]
Namibia High Court rules against same-sex couples
A High Court in Namibia has ruled against two same-sex couples who were seeking to have their foreign marriages recognized for immigration purposes, c [...]
Legendary gay and lesbian rights defender Desmond Tutu has died
Desmond Tutu , the iconic LGBT human rights defender and anti-apartheid champion, the retired archbishop of Cape Town, South Africa, has died. Tutu, [...]
Namibia Pride seeks repeal of nation’s anti-LGBTQ law
The LGBTQ community in the southern African nation of Namibia recently held its biggest-ever Pride celebration, which included appeals for the repeal [...]
Archbishop Tutu boosts Bible guide promoting love for queer Africans
Does the Bible condemn homosexuality? Not according to a The Bible and "Homosexuality," a new guide book from South Africa's Inclusive and Affirming M [...]
Botswana Court of Appeals unanimously upholds decriminalization of gay sex
In a unanimous decision, the Botswana Court of Appeals upheld the 2019 ruling that decriminalized gay sex in the southern African country, which had b [...]
Zambia’s new president sticks tight to homophobic traditions
Zambia's new president has made clear that he will not do what LGBTI rights activists hoped for and that homophobes feared: He will not recognize the [...]
Report: Covid-19 threatens LGBTIQ+ Africans and their organisations
Covid-19 has hurt LGBTIQ+ communities in east and southern Africa while also revealing weaknesses in the region's LGBTIQ+ advocacy organisations, acco [...]
Namibia court bans anti-gay discrimination in child citizenship case
A Namibian court has found that the constitution bans discrimination based on sexual orientation, in a case that also found that the two-year-old chil [...]
Botswana court delays ruling on overturned anti-gay law
Botswanan judges said yesterday that they plan to spend extra time researching and discussing the Botswanan government's appeal to restore the nation' [...]
Anti-gay Zambians fear their new president will endorse gay rights
Homophobic Zambians fear that new President Hakainde Hichilema will establish gay rights in Zambia -- a fear that Hichilema has not encouraged. Last w [...]
AIDS conference organisers silent as violence sweeps host South Africa
Organisers of the 2021 International Conference on AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Africa (ICASA) have remained silent about prospects for [...]
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"Namibia justice minister announces plan to decriminalize gay sex this year")
Namibia justice minister announces plan to decriminalize gay sex this year
Namibian Justice Minister Yvonne Dausab has announced that scrapping the criminal prohibition on same-sex intimacy is among 31 pieces of legislation d [...]
UPDATE: Namibian government allows gay man’s infant daughters to come home
UPDATE May 19, 2021:
The Namibian government has issued travel documents to the twin infant daughters of a binational gay couple who were born in S [...]
Amplifying the voices of Eswatini’s LGBT people
Voices of Eswatini, a new project from Eswatini Sexual and Gender Minorities (ESGM) and All Out, amplifies the voices of the small but strong LGBT com [...]
Namibia denies residency to infant daughters of gay citizen
A Namibian court ruled Monday against a gay couple demanding the right to bring their infant daughters home after being born to a surrogate in South A [...]
Protesters demand gay rights in Zimbabwe
Protesters marched to the Zimbabwean consulate in Cape Town, South Africa, on April 12 to present a petition calling for Zimbabwe to recognize the hu [...]
Botswana president: We’ll host 2021 AIDS conference
The president of Botswana announced on Facebook that Botswana will host next year's African ICASA 2021 anti-AIDS conference, which was taken away from [...]
African churches: Why preach love, then imprison gays?
Why do people who preach love every Sunday want people put in prison for what they do in the privacy of their bedrooms? That was one of the questions [...]
U.S. election: Biden pledges to act against anti-gay nations
U.S. presidential candidate Joe Biden says that, if elected on Nov. 3, he will "restore America's global leadership on LGBTQ+ issues and actively comb [...]
Zambia frees gay couple serving 15-year sentence
Zambia has freed two men who since 2018 have been serving a 15-year prison sentence for same-sex intimacy.
From the African Human Rights Me [...]
Activists fear for safety of 2 arrested Malawi dissidents
Human rights defenders fear for the safety of two prominent political dissidents and LGBTQ rights activists who were arrested March 8 for opposing Pre [...]
Zambian women march for LGBT rights as well as women’s rights
LGBT rights, women's rights and other progressive causes were the focus of last weekend's Women's March 2020 in the Zambian capital.
From t [...]
Report: U.S. recalls envoy who opposed prison term for gay Zambians
The United States has quietly recalled its ambassador to Zambia after President Edgar Lungu loudly declared him unwelcome in Zambia for protesting the [...]
Zambia demands removal of U.S. envoy for protesting anti-gay prison sentences
The president of Zambia wants the U.S. to recall its Zambian ambassador because he supports the human rights of homosexuals.
From the African [...]
Is Zambia ready for a gay pride march?
Behind Zambian politicians' loud public denunciations of homosexuality, the country is showing signs of tolerance of LGBT people. Some say it's even r [...]
Why is Zambian couple in prison? Because of King Henry VIII
Zambian politicians claim that Christian values are the basis for 15-year prison sentences imposed on a gay couple who were spotted having sex in a pr [...]
U.S. envoy to Zambia: Act like Jesus, not like bigots, if you’re a Christian nation
Zambian officials should stop lying about their relationship with the United States and should act like leaders of the Christian nation they claim to [...]
Zambia blasts U.S. envoy who protested 15-year sentence for gay couple
The government of Zambia plans to file an official protest against U.S. ambassador Daniel Foote for criticizing the 15-year prison sentences that a Za [...]
Zambia: 15-year prison sentences ‘shocked the world’
The 15-year prison sentences imposed this week on a gay Zambian couple are a shocking miscarriage of justice, African gay-rights activists declare. Th [...]
Zambian men sentenced to 15 years for gay sex
A high court in Zambia has sentenced two men to 15 years in prison for gay sex.
From the African Human Rights Media Network
The me [...]
Zambia must shun the anti-gay politics of disgust
Zambia's president has made homosexuality a campaign issue to distract attention from the fact that his people are starving, millions are living in po [...]
Zambia: Motion banning pro-LGBT parties fails on technicality
A Zambian member of parliament failed in an attempt to ban political parties that favor LGBT rights. The motion targeted the opposition UPND party, wh [...]
Photos: South African gay actor Somizi Mhlongo marries his boyfriend
The Internet went wild in Africa after gay South African celebrity TV personality Somizi Buyani Mhlongo shared photos of his wedding on social media. [...]
More homosexuality arrests in Zambia
Zambian police last week arrested another couple on homosexuality charges.
From the African Human Rights Media Network
This time, [...]
Zambian farmer, youth in court on gay sex charges
A 53-year-old Zambian farmer and a 17-year-old student appeared in court in Lusaka yesterday, accused of violating Zambia's anti-homosexuality laws.
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Malawi: Court releases 2 arrested activists
A Malawi court released LGBTI rights activists Gift Trapence and MacDonald Sembeleka on bail Friday, three days after their arrest on fraud charges co [...]
U.N. says ‘Sorry! Please release Malawi activists’
Apologetic U.N. officials have joined international calls for the release of two LGBT rights activists in Malawi who helped organize protests alleging [...]