Europe condemns violence against African lesbians
The European Parliament passed a resolution on July 5 condemning violence against lesbians in Africa and advocating the rights of African LGBT people in general, Pink News reports.
The resolution came in response to reports of increasing reports of arrests of lesbians in Cameroon, “corrective” rape and murders in South Africa, and a worsening social and legal situation in Liberia, Uganda and Nigeria, where legislators are considering adopting anti-LGBT laws. Pink News added:
The Parliament notes the situation is … potentially improving in Malawi, where newly appointed president Joyce Banda aims to decriminalise homosexuality, and in Swaziland, where HIV/AIDS prevention efforts are ongoing despite strong legal threats.
Marina Yannakoudakis, a member of the European parliament, described instances of violence, including the case of a Ugandan lesbian who fled to London in 2006, suffering from permanent hearing loss after her father turned her in to police, where she was beaten, raped and gave birth to a stillborn child while in prison. Yannakoudakis said:
“I have been told that this is very typical of lesbians who flee persecution from some African countries. I hope that this resolution can help affect real change in these countries, so that men and women no longer have to suffer for their sexual orientation.”
Read the full story in Pink News: “European Parliament condemns violence against lesbians in Africa”
Related articles
- Marina Yannakoudakis’ speech to the European Parliament about lesbians in Africa. (YouTube.com)
- Slaughtering Gays and Lesbians in South Africa is UN-African (oblogdeeoblogda.me)
- Praising the Work of Gay and Lesbian Rights Defenders (lawprofessors.typepad.com)
- U.S. tells how 4 countries harass LGBTs in East Africa (76crimes.com)
- 17 people who ran afoul of anti-LGBT laws (76crimes.com)