Room 1: The work, the gaps, and the lessons learnt

Welcome everyone to the first of four weeks of this e-discussion.

My name is Anthony Oluoch (he/him). I will be your moderator in this room assisted by Melanie Judge and Berry Nibogora.

The objective in this room is to discuss the engagement of LGBTI+ persons in SDG processes and how LGBTI+ issues feature in SDG processes and work. We also hope to critically analyse the gaps that exist in these engagements and the lessons that we have learnt thus far.

To guide us in this discussion are 4 questions that you will find in the introduction to this room. Please feel free to answer one or more of the questions as a comment. Do let us know which question you are answering in your response.

Please don’t forget that you can also participate in Discussion room 2: The actions we can take and the ways forward. https://www.sparkblue.org/discussion/discussion-room-2-actions-we-can-take-and-ways-forward  

I look forward to a fruitful discussion this week!

In this comment, I am going to focus on the first question, “How have LGBTI+ people been left behind in SDG-related work (in Africa)?”

While both the SDGs and the AU’s Agenda 2063 pledge to focus on the most marginalized and to reach the furthest behind first, neither set of policy documents explicitly mention sexual and gender minorities.  That’s disappointing but not surprising, given that many UN and AU member states do not yet accept any LGBTI+ related language in international agreements.   Despite this omission, however,  the pledges to understand and respond to marginalization remain – which means that countries still have an obligation to pay attention to LGBTI+ people, to the extent to which one can demonstrate that we are among the most marginalized.

And it is definitely true that LGBTI+ people are marginalized and left behind.  Gay and bi men and trans women are disproportionately affected by HIV across Africa and there is strong evidence that criminalization and social stigma exacerbates this vulnerability.   In its 2014 resolution 275, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights recognized the disproportionate toll of state-violence and gender based violence associated with real or assumed sexual orientation or gender identity.   Children who depart from majority gender norms in schools in Africa, or older children who may explicitly present as LGBTI+, are far more likely to be bullied (by other students and even by teachers), and in turn are less likely to complete their education.  There are many other examples.

Hi everyone, Paul Bennett is my name and I am going to comment on: 

1. How have LGBTI+ people been left behind in SDG-related work? 

While SDGs has pledged commitment to lifting impoverished communities out of poverty, it has not explicitly mentioned sexual minority communities. Hence, most of the work related to this effort does not capture the LGBTQI communities who are often more disproportionately affected by poverty in Africa. And I dare say that many of the abuses suffered by LGBTQI communities has its root in the poverty and purely economic imbalance. While poverty prevails and no effort is coordinated specifically towards lifting the LGBTQI communities from it, the communities most certainly will continued to be left behind.

Hi everyone, I am Prince Frimpong and I would like to comment on the first question using Ghana's National Review Report on  Implementation of the 2030 agenda for Sustainable Development as a case study.

1. How have LGBTI+ people been left behind in SDG-related work?

Ghanaian government adopted targets for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the SDGs. Despite the fact that the main core principle of the Sustainable Development Goals is “ Leaving No One Behind” the national targets, indicators, as well as measures for the implementation, are not LGBTQI inclusive.

I would like to address Goal 16, which promote peaceful and inclusiveness, provision of access to justice. 

Nonetheless, there is no criminal legislation of Ghana that includes the commission of an offence based on homophobia, biphobia and transphobia to the list of circumstances aggravating punishment. There is also no effective mechanism for responding to discrimination on the basis of LGBTQI related issues

A lot of cases of discrimination and violence against minority groups, especially LGBTQI community have been recorded in Ghana since 2012. In fact, within the last 5 years, there have been more than 200 reported cases of either discrimination or violence against LGBTQI persons. In 2018 alone there have been at least over 120 reported cases of violence/discrimination against LGBTQI people in Ghana, the highest after the universal periodic review which was just a year on.

There is a vast importance in shaping Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the interest of LGBTQI people in Ghana. Despite the main core principle of "leaving no one behind"  was endorsed by the UN as part of the 2030 Agenda, the national targets, indicators, as well as measures for the implementation, are not LGBTQI inclusive. Hence, there is a need to provide a unique and powerful advocacy tool to promote and monitor the implementation of rights of various vulnerable groups in Ghana.

Thank you for raising attention to the cases of violence and discrimination facing LGBTIQ communities in Ghana and how that connects to SDG goal 16 in particular. Are you able to share links to where folks might read more about these reported cases, which are important data for SDG-related advocacy.

Thank you so much Jeffrey O'Malley for the examples you have given on how LGBTI+ people have been left behind. I would particularly like to highlight what you noted about the omission of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression in the SDGs and the African Union's Agenda 2063, yet the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights did pass Resolution 275 on Protection against Violence and other Human Rights Violations against Persons on the basis of their real or imputed Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Sessions (achpr.org). As Paul Bennett has pointed out, one of the main issues is poverty, not only in Nigeria but in the continent at large. The situation in Ghana as pointed out by Prince Frimpong is dire.

But we do see possibilities of reading LGBTI+ issues into the SDGs with the examples given of goals 1, 8 and 16. In your introduction Sofonie Dala you mentioned that you have been implementing practical activities aimed at reaching the SDGs worldwide. It would be great to hear more about your work in Angola (and beyond!)

Are there any further examples of ways in which LGBTI+ people have been left behind and even more ways from other parts of the continent where there have been engagement of LGBTI+ persons in SDG processes and how LGBTI+ issues feature in SDG processes and work?

Looking forward to reading more comments. 

Hello everyone,

I found this interesting article.

 First openly gay judge to lead LGBT veterans probe 

  Britain’s first openly gay senior judge will lead a review into the impact of a historical ban on LGBT people serving in the armed forces. 

https://sofoniedala.blogspot.com/2022/06/first-openly-gay-judge-to-lead-lgbt.html?spref=tw 

I will share something about Angola soon!

Hello everyone,

How have LGBTI+ people been left behind in SDG-related work? 

LGBT+ people have been left behind in a number of SDG-related works not limited to:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 10: Reduced inequalities
• SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
• SDG 17: Partnerhsips for the Goals

Najeeb Ahmad Fokeerbux you have helpfully drawn attention to specific areas of health policy where LGBTIQ people are excluded and how this is exacerbated by criminalisation and a lack of legal gender recognition. And, as you point out, this means that available, accessible and affordable health services, as encompassed in SDG3, cannot be fully realised. Do you perhaps have lessons to share on how some of the issues you mention have been tackled by activists and their allies using the SDGs?

Bonjour chers tous,

C'est juste pour vous signaler que je suis l'un des modérateurs pendant cette période. Vos contributions sont donc les bienvenues. J'encourage beaucoup les francophones à aussi réagir et de se sentir libre d'écrire en français.

A tout de suite

This is a fascinating discussion. When talking about lessons learnt, perhaps it makes sense to draw parallels between regions? As an Eastern European who works on LGBTI+ inclusive development, I have noticed that there are often external factors - and actors - that drive the hate agenda. In Europe, the issue is politicized and weaponized to seed division and hate. It starts with the language. The artificial term "non-traditional sexual orientation" was coined specifically to misrepresent non-heterosexual people as "exceptions", inherently inferior. Then come the false issues. There are attempts to create a false connection between homosexuality and pedophilia, thereby justifying homophobic laws “to protect the children from propaganda”. Efforts to affirm gender diversity are misrepresented as “attacks on our children” and “family values”. Homophobia, transphobia, biphobia and intersexphobia are closely connected to misogyny. The Istanbul Convention, which aims to protect women from violence, was misrepresented as a document that introduces “ a third gender” and its ratification was purposedly undermined.

These processes have resulted in alarming consequences. In the Czech Republic acceptance of LGBTI+ people today is lower than the early 1990s, when the country abandoned Communism. Poland and Hungary have introduced homophonic and transphobic activities and laws. Russia is often cited as a major proponent of hate propaganda, including “model legislation”, as well as misrepresentation of issues and coining terminology of exclusion.

 The EU has tried to counterbalance these efforts by adopting an LGBTQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025. The Council of Europe has a recommendation at the ministerial level on combatting violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. ILGA Europe has an annual benchmarking tool, map and index called “Rainbow Europe”. ILGA has also published extensively on the driver behind homophobia and transphobia in Europe.

Knowing your adversaries, their agendas, and ways of operating are critical to successfully counter their influence. To me it is interesting to compare the drivers and perpetrators of the hate agenda in European and African countries. Maybe it will be possible to establish commonalities and identify strategic and tactics for prevention and response. Maybe this can be done with other regions as well? Latin America comes to mind where some countries have achieved remarkable progress not only against discrimination but also in affirming diversity and inclusion.

Votre intervention est très intéressante, surtout quand on sait qu'en  Afrique aussi il y a les mêmes tendances et la récupération politique ne manque pas parfois au rendez-vous pour avoir le vote en attirant la majorité. Il est sans doute possible d'établir des points communs et d'identifier des stratégies et des tactiques de prévention et d'intervention.

Things to do:

I will stand in solidarity with BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, and Disability communities and the planet.

I will not ignore the intersections of environmentalism and social justice.

I will use my privilege to advocate for Black and brown lives in spaces where their messages are often silenced.

I will proactively do the work to learn about the environmental and social injustices these communities face without minimizing their voices.

I will respect the boundaries of BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, and Disability friends and activists and not demand they perform emotional labor or do the work for me.

I will share my learnings with other environmentalists and my community.

I will amplify the messages of BIPOC, LGBTQ2S+, and Disability justice activists and environmental leaders.

I will not remain silent during pivotal political and cultural moments that impact targeted communities.

Thank you for highlighting these important points. LGBTIQ people continue to be left out in all aspects ,you will see that strides have been made in implemtation of SDG 3 but mainly it's focusing on HIV why? Because we are seen as a virus.This alone show the ignorance in our African governments and lack of understanding of LGBTIQ issues and concerns. Engagements are being made with the Policy makers and as a step by step approach but still the ground is still dry civil society actors needs capacitation of changing language and information on inclusive approach continuosly ,we still see LGBTIQ people being harassed ,dropping out of school ,loosing jobs and leaving our countries cause of phobia of sexual orientation and gender identity.Political players have used the name "gay pigs are demons" to attack their opponents and these have caused a great impact in contributing to shaming the LGBTIQ people by families and communities.

There is great need to hold gvts accountable in realising the implementation of SDGs principle of leaving no-one behind inorder for inclusivity and fruitful engagements with LGBTIQ people.

Bonjour All,

I have just joined this intersting, insightful and informative discussion. In solidarity with some of the previous commentators, I suggest in answer to Ques. 1 the crux of the problem lies in the exclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals and communities in policy making and SDG implementation by many AU states.

In my humble opinion, the rule of law in many AU and UN states prohibits and criminalises same sex orientation and gender identity, and therefore the narratives of marginalised and excluded Africans and Afrodescendants are silenced, e.g. regarding SDG 3 (health and wellbeing), SDG 4 (quality education for all), SDG 5 (gender equality), & SDG 10 (reduced inequalities).

Moreover, despite the recent advances made in procuring more equitable outcomes for LGBTQI+ afrodescendants in some countries, the empirical evidence highlights breaches and violations of the universal human rights continue, e.g. transphobia and breaches of migrant rights.

See Homophobic attacks in South Africa persist (washingtonblade.com)

In answer to Ques. 4 therefore, I advocate the recently renewed mandate of the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity as vital to monitoring implementation of SDG Targets and realisation of universal human rights for LGBTQ+ Africans and Afrodescendants. See (1) Feed | LinkedIn . 

Welcome everyone to the fourth and final week of this e-discussion. I hope you have enjoyed the discussions and the very interesting perspectives from across the globe. 

My name is Kene Esom (he/him). I will be your moderator in this room assisted by Berry Nibogora and Christian Tshimbalanga Mwata. 

We will be taking forward the discussion on the engagement of LGBTI+ persons in SDG processes and how LGBTI+ issues feature in SDG processes and work. We also hope to critically analyse the gaps that exist in these engagements and the lessons that we have learned thus far.

To guide us in this discussion are 4 questions that you will find in the introduction to this room. Please feel free to answer one or more of the questions as a comment. Do let us know which question you are answering in your response. As this is our last week, we will zero in aspects of the questions that beg further exploration. 

Please don’t forget that you can also participate in Discussion room 2: The actions we can take and the ways forward. https://www.sparkblue.org/discussion/discussion-room-2-actions-we-can-take-and-ways-forward  

I look forward to a fruitful discussion this final week of the e-discussion!

Thanks Sofonie Dala Adé Olaiya Learnmore Chikwewo for kicking us off with interesting reflections this week. 

Sofonie Dala , your piece is a powerful call to personal action that reflects the intersectionality of the experiences of LGBTI+ people and the inter-connectedness of the SDGs. Perhaps one way to ensure greater inclusion of LGBTI+ people in SDG processes is to build stronger alliances and solidarities with other groups, including other marginalised groups, and elicit a pledge similar to your post. It would be great if someone can share any examples of different groups working in solidarity to address exclusion?

Adé Olaiya  indeed special mechanisms such as the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity provide mechanisms to highlight and address LGBTI+ exclusion. Have you had any experience engaging with the Independent Expert or any other global or regional human rights mechanisms? Any lessons to share with those who may not be familiar with these mechanisms?

Berry Nibogora  feel free to chime in here too. 

Thanks for inviting my comment Kene,

Solidarity is indeed important and there is no social justice movement that succeeded in moving the limits and the restrictive norms without alliance and critical mass support to do so. However, personal actions and playing each our part is important and the collective of our actions become more that the sum of its parts. Engaging regional and international accountability mechanisms has proven to be a second-line accountability mechanism and for LGBTIQ+ inclusion; and it might be the only viable avenue given the inexistence or ineffectiveness of domestic remedies, hence the need to use them timely and consistently. These mechanisms have their own limits and depend on the state's cooperation or response to their recommendations/decisions, this should not however discourage us from keeping raising the issues and holding leaders accountable to our countries' commitment to inclusive development, equality and non-discrimination.

Pride - Embrancing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. Day 2

Good evening ladies and gentlemen,

You're welcome to the second day of our program!

Click here: https://wegotthisangola.blogspot.com/2022/07/pride-embrancing-diversity-lgbtq-in.html

@ Anthony Oluoch I was unaware “the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights did pass Resolution 275 on Protection against Violence and other Human Rights Violations against Persons on the basis of their real or imputed Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights Sessions (achpr.org)”.

Regional and international resolutions can be treated as “soft law” by sovereign states which do not have the political will to transpose human rights policies into domestic legislation.
 

In my humble opinion, African civil society should collaborate with other stakeholders to ensure the resolution and other human rights mechanisms are used to lobby for the universal human rights of vulnerable lgbt+ Africans, and hold state parties to account for human rights violations.

NB. 

“For all cases we do encourage civil society to submit information to the Working Group of experts on people of African descent and other mandates for  processing under the Special Procedures communications procedure”. 

Please use the online submission form here : https://spsubmission.ohchr.org/

Pride - Embrancing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. Day 3

Angola has decriminalized homosexuality. What's your opinion?

Good morning ladies and gentlemen,

Welcome everyone to the third day of our program!T

oday’s debate is a very interesting one, we have a man who not only rejects the LGBT community but also opposes the new government law that decriminalizes homosexuality.

Interview: https://youtu.be/H9WC0Io2PXs

According to the interview, we can conclude that religion, both as it relates to relative importance in people’s lives and actual religious affiliation, also plays a large role in perceptions of the acceptability of homosexuality in many societies across Africa.

If you missed the first webisodes click here:

1. kickoff event - Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 1 

2. Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 2

We have zero-tolerance for discrimination and does not discriminate on the basis of  race, colour, national origin, ethnic or social background, genetic information, gender, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, religion or belief, HIV status or disability.

Good evening everyone!

Welcome to the penultimate webisode of this edition!

Despite the fact that people in the LGBT community are fighting for equal rights and acceptance and, looking at all the interviews we have already done, it is possible to perceive that Christians categorically do not accept the existence of LGBTQ people in our society.

Click here to watch this webisode:

https://wegotthisangola.blogspot.com/2022/07/pride-embrancing-diversity-lgbtq-in_23.html

If you missed the first webisodes click here:

1. kickoff event - Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 1 

2. Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 2

3. Embracing diversity. LGBTQ in Angola. day 3