Realities and Rights of Gender Non-Conforming People and People Who Engage in Same-Sex Sexual Relations in Africa

Coalition of African Lesbians & African Men for Sexual Health and Rights

A civil society report

Today, we face a major human rights crisis globally, and particularly in Africa, and one that is largely not recognised by governments. People who identify as lesbian,  gay,  or  bisexual,  or  who  engage  in  same-sex  sexual  relations (regardless of how they identify), or who are gender non-conforming, including people  who  identify  and  express  as  transgender  and transdiverse,  as  well  as intersex individuals live in fear and face violence perpetrated by both state and non-state actors on an everyday basis. This violence takes the form of torture, murder, rape, stigma and discrimination.

This report is the result of a collective effort by North, West, East, Central and Southern African organisations and coalitions. The information presented here was  obtained  through  interviews,  questionnaires  completed  by  lesbian,  gay, bisexual,   transdiverse/transgender   and   intersex   (LGBTI)   human   rights defenders and organisations, and documentation collected and collated since December 2011. The report highlights a range of rights violations and proposes measures that both governments and the United Nations can and should take to address violations of the rights of LGBTI individuals in Africa, and to ensure the protection and fulfilment of their human rights.