Uphold sexual minority rights in the great lakes

Educating the general population about sexual minorities in society and their specific economic and health needs is very important as a vulnerable group.

There still remain vital questions surrounding exactly what education needs to be provided, who is responsible or best positioned to provide such education, and how knowledge should be disseminated.

It is against this background that Human Rights First Rwanda Association organized three roundtable meeting with 20 representative of sexual minorities ,10 health workers officials and 10 Main stream Civil society members  to forge a way forward on how to educate the general populace more especially during this COVID-19 pandemic outbreak on issues pertaining to the needs of sexual minorities.

After the roundtable meetings it was resolved ultimately, Sexual Minorities groups with the help of some mainstream NGOS and other allies should have a central role in producing and disseminating knowledge to ensure that educational interventions contain accurate content and are delivered and they should also play their own role of being self-advocates and those of their peers either through radio broadcasts, print media, Meetings and administrative representations.  

• Round table meetings (PDF)
  

The Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has presented severe challenges for the human population. The first case in Rwanda was reported on Saturday 14^th March 2020 and this has become a challenge for the populace and more especially vulnerable and marginalized groups mainly Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex, and other queer youth in the country. These challenges range from economic to reduced access to health services and an increase in human rights violations resulting from widespread lockdown to curtail the virus's spread. Some religious leaders in and other local leaders in the country have made homophobic statements linking homosexuality to the cause of the COVID-19 pandemic.  There are reasons to worry that such rhetoric drives or contributes to the violations that sexual minorities suffer especially during a pandemic like this one.

Furthermore, shrinking civic spaces that have been necessitated by governments instituting restrictions on movements, lockdowns, and lack of access to justice has stifled the LGBTI community in Rwanda access to support from well-wishers. Instances of domestic violence either by a partner or by other family members have increased across the board but significantly worsened for LGBTI persons because they have the additional barrier of not wanting to be neglected and, as such, will not report to law enforcement agents. LGBTI who would ordinarily not be in close daily contact with homophobic family members have been forced to live with them during the lockdown, which can be directly linked to the increase in domestic violence cases

 Homelessness has been another challenge that has disproportionately affected LGBTI persons since the beginning of the pandemic. Even, when they provide shelter for themselves by trying to support each other and living together, they are at risk of being targeted by law enforcement officers under the guise of curtailing the spread of coronavirus. In Kigali, our researcher interviewed some Lesbian who tried to stay together during the lockdown, and they expressed worry that locals might target them within their community who were aware that the shelter housed sexual minorities.

Human Rights First Rwanda Association has intensified its campaign to denounce violence and discrimination perpetrated to the LGBTQ community via radio and online brochures and also has tried to urge partners and other stake holders to assist the community through Humanitarian aid.

With your continued support we will be able to continue to assist our vulnerable and disadvantaged LGBTI community in Rwanda.

• Advocacy Discrimination and Violence Brochure (PDF)