How to help build on Kenyan court success

Colin Stewart is a 45-year journalism veteran living in Southern…

Logo of the National Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission of Kenya

A successful Kenyan advocacy group is seeking donations to continue its work promoting recognition of the human rights of LGBTI people in Kenya.

Previously, the National Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission (NGLHRC) won a court ruling that ordered the Kenyan government to grant it legal recognition. In April, Kenya’s High Court rejected the government’s position that the NGLHRC should not be registered because of Section 162 of Kenya’s Penal Code, which provides for a 14-year prison sentence for anyone convicted of having “carnal knowledge of any person against the order of nature.” One of the NGLHRC’s goals is to repeal that law.

In May, the government announced that it would appeal the High Court ruling. The NGLHRC is now seeking financial support to fight the case before the Court of Appeal and to launch a court case against Section 162.

It is also seeking support for its legal clinic in Nairobi and its court challenge against forced anal testing of suspected gay defendants and forced HIV tests.

This is NGLHRC’s appeal:

We are writing to ask you for your direct donations to help us complete the following cases:

1. Petition 440 of 2013 (Freedom of Association/ registration of LGBTIQ organisations) which is in the Court of Appeal. We need legal fees

2. Petition 51 of 2015 (Challenging forced HIV testing and anal testing that was conducted under court orders to prove sexual orientation in a recent sodomy case in Kenya). We need support to attend court in the Mombasa High Court and to secure the two petitioners
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3. Class action to decriminalise consensual adult sex in private regardless of sexual orientation. (Case brief being prepared for filling)

We also need your support to keep our legal aid center in Nairobi open. Since opening in August 2014, this center has served 1,200+ walk in clients, conducted nationwide civic education for 800+LGBTIQ persons and trained 250+ paralegals across Kenya.

All donations received before November 21, 2015 will be doubled by a Kenyan based family that has been supporting the institution of NGLHRC.
Credit card and mobile money donations are accepted.