Commentary: The World Bank must stand firm against Ugandan homophobia
International lender shouldn’t end sanctions on Uganda unless oppressed sexual minorities agree.
In the following commentary, first published in the non-profit South African news agency GroundUp, LGBTQ rights activists Frank Mugisha and Fabrice Houdart take issue with the World Bank’s tentative plans to resume lending in Uganda.
Queer rights: The World Bank must stand firm on Uganda
The fight for equality demands international support
The World Bank is considering resuming lending to Uganda despite the country’s recent enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Yet the “mitigation measures” proposed by the Ugandan administration to prevent discrimination and exclusion within World Bank projects are insufficient and unenforceable. For the World Bank to endorse them risks undermining its credibility as a champion of inclusive development and threatens to discredit Ajay Banga’s ambitious development agenda a year into his mandate as World Bank president.
The act, passed in May 2023, has led to increased stigma, violence, and exclusion of LGBTQ+ individuals in Uganda. In August 2023, the World Bank halted the authorisation of any new loans, in accordance with its new policy on anti-discrimination, until measures are implemented to ensure that LGBTQ+ people have equal access to its projects. However, the current consideration to resume lending without robust support for the affected populations undermines this commitment.
The proposed mitigation measures fail on multiple fronts. They do not explicitly address discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, instead referring vaguely to “vulnerable and marginalised individuals or groups.” This lack of specificity fails to acknowledge that the act bars LGBTQ+ people from development efforts. The World Bank’s endorsement of this approach undermines the basic principle that an effective non-discrimination policy should name the groups it protects.
Resuming lending to Uganda amid new corruption scandals involving top government officials, such as Speaker of Parliament Anita Among, only compounds the issue. Among’s baseless accusations in March this year that “homosexuals” are behind the allegations of embezzlement she faces highlight the deteriorating governance and gap between inflammatory rhetoric and the trust the Bank places in these non-committal “mitigation measures”.
World Bank President Ajay Banga’s leadership is critical in this complex situation. Banga’s tenure has marked a commitment to inclusive and sustainable development in opposition to his predecessor. However, moving forward with lending to Uganda signals that the World Bank is willing to support countries that exclude LGBTQ+ people as long as the government adopts ineffective and perfunctory policies.
The international community, particularly the Bank’s largest shareholder, the United States, must hold the World Bank accountable. The Bank’s Environmental and Social Framework mandates specific measures to address risks faced by vulnerable groups. Mitigation measures must explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identity protections, backed by enforceable guidelines and independent monitoring.
For Uganda, this means unequivocal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals. Anything less would betray the principles the World Bank purports to uphold.
As activists committed to human rights and social justice, we urge the World Bank to stand firm and demand concrete responses from the government of Uganda. Human rights violations not only undermine development but also constitute self-inflicted economic wounds. The fight for LGBTQ+ equality requires unwavering support from the international community, and the World Bank must rise to the occasion.
Frank Mugisha is the executive director of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG).
Fabrice Houdart is a former senior World Bank country officer, adjunct professor at Georgetown University and Columbia University, and co-founder of Koppa, the LGBTI+ Economic Lab.
