“Discrimination is present because there is usually no law to stop it. And the purpose of discrimination is to nullify and impair but advocacy is how vulnerable groups can have their issues heard, advocated for and safeguarded like everyone else. This is how our needs and issues are considered or addressed like anyone else’s and ensure that laws are implemented,”
News
Access For All (AFA) recently held a digital literacy and security training #AFADST2019 for refugee human rights defenders within the East African region. With support from The Collaboration on International ICT Policy for East and Southern Africa (CIPESA), the two- day event targeted activists from different community based organizations in Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan and Eritrea.
How quickly time goes by, yet in hindsight, it also feels like a life time of hard work and persistence. This sentiment rang true for Freedom and Roam Uganda last week as they celebrated 16 years of existence and also hosted the first ever Uganda Lesbian Forum #UGALEF2019 in Kampala.
Children of the Sun (COSF) Uganda held its first ever Masquerade Ball on Saturday 13th July 2019 in Makerere Kikoni. The event which is to be an annual gala is geared towards fundraising resources that will support LGBTI+ persons living with HIV to have better nutritional support as they adhere to ART/ARVs treatment and therapy.
On Thursday 27 June 2019 The Refugee Coalition of East Africa (RefCEA) will host the 2nd annual International LGBTQI Refugee Day. One week after World Refugee Day on 20 June and coinciding with LGBTQI celebrations around the globe during the month of June, International LGBTQI Refugee Day celebrates the solidarity and strength of LGBTQI refugees and acknowledges the unique struggles and challenges faced by sexual identity refugees worldwide.
In commemoration of #PrideMonth2019, Freedom and Roam Uganda organised the first ever Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women Directors’ Forum. Supported by Open Society Initiative for Eastern Africa (OSIEA), the two-day convention took place at an undisclosed location.
Binyavanga Wainaina, a renowned Kenyan author and frontline LGBTQ activist has passed on- the outspoken human rights defender died at 10:00pm on 21st May 2019, after suffering a stroke.
The LGBTIQ refugees were first isolated, then alienated from the protection system and then left to survive in Nairobi. This was without the needed capacity building, sustainable solutions or networks and, regard to the nature of their background and potentials. These are now evident. These gaps have led to consequences never-seen before in Nairobi.
“We also need to become a more united global LBQ movement,” stressed Julie. “We need to reach out to each other to form an international bond that will not only strengthen our numbers, but empower our resolve and give us a better position from which to tell them ‘Enough Is Enough’. This is a movement that women too can lead.”
“The actions taken by Police on a day dedicated to fighting homophobia and transphobia goes to show why this day is important and why we must continue the fight. It also goes to show how institutionalized homophobia is. We are sad but take solace in the fact that the bigger statement about the state of the rights of LGBT people in Uganda has been made. We call upon National allies and development partners to continue to support efforts to ensure that all Ugandans enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed rights” said Nicholas Opiyo, the Executive Director of Chapter Four Uganda.