Progressive faith leaders and activists from West Africa have joined forces to work to end anti-LGBTI bias in the region and seek “a world governed by respect and dignity.” The new Interfaith Diversity Network of West Africa (IDNoWA) includes members from Nigeria, Togo, Ivory Coast, Ghana and Liberia. The network’s founder and co-chair is Anglo-Nigerian … Continue reading
Tag Archives: Togo
Tally of LGBTI rights, wrongs in 29 sub-Saharan countries
Several countries in sub-Saharan Africa have made progress in recognizing the human rights of LGBTI people, but much work remains to be done in the region’s 29 countries that still have laws against same-sex intimacy. LGBTI rights in those African countries are the focus of the following excerpts from the 2015 edition of the U.S. … Continue reading
LGBTI Catholics in West Africa seek compassion, change
Many LGBTI Catholics in West Africa remain faithful to the church, despite exclusion, homophobia and discrimination, Anglo-Nigerian gay activist Davis Mac-Iyalla reported after a fact-finding trip there. But the church has driven out some of its LGBTI flock, and all of them ask the church to treat them in a more Christian manner. Currently touring … Continue reading
New blog targets French-speaking nations’ anti-LGBTI laws
This week marks the first official week of publication of the French-language affiliate of the “Erasing 76 Crimes” this blog. “76 Crimes en français,” which has been published in beta version for months, provides coverage in French of an under-served part of the world — the 13 francophone countries, including 12 in Africa, where LGBTI … Continue reading
Stop ignoring us, say young LGBTIQ Africans
At the Changing Faces Changing Spaces conference June 17 to 19 in Kenya, young LGBTIQ activists protested that they were often ignored by the LGBTIQ movement and left out of strategic decisions. They called for an end to attitudes that have “silenced the voices of young LGBTIQ Africans in the struggle for LGBTIQ rights in … Continue reading
Human rights defenders urge respect for LGBTI Africans
Human rights advocates from more than a dozen African countries have issued a call for respect for the human rights of LGBTI people in Africa, a move that builds on a resolution made last year by the African Commission for Human and Peoples’ Rights. The gathering included representatives from Burundi, Cameroon, Nigeria, Senegal, and Togo, … Continue reading
32 anti-gay African leaders, 32 smiling Obama photos
The issue of African countries imprisoning LGBTI people for their sexual orientation wasn’t on the agenda at this week’s United States/Africa summit in Washington, D.C. Instead, President Obama spoke about security, trade and economic development. Then, on Aug. 5, he and First Lady Michelle Obama posed for friendly photos with 32 leaders of countries with … Continue reading
AIDS in Togo and Cameroon: Empty promises kill
AIDS fighters have long recognized that the goal of halting the spread of HIV cannot be achieved without making extra efforts to reach high-risk groups, including gay men. But often that realization has led to nothing beyond words on paper. National anti-AIDS plans too often do nothing beyond listing the country’s most-at-risk populations, with little … Continue reading
Shortage: Togo needs condoms for gay men and MSM
Author: Denis LeBlanc with Sylvestre Quam-Dessou Editor: Colin Stewart In the Togolese Republic in West Africa, HIV prevention is beyond the reach of thousands of gay people and MSM (men who have sex with men). The reason: a severe shortage of condoms and lube. “Men’s”, a community association for LGBT people, is seeking a solution to … Continue reading
Report: Anti-gay laws harm African economies
To improve the job prospects of young Africans, countries in Africa need to focus on human rights, the environment and sustainable development, according to representatives of African non-governmental organizations (NGOs) who met over the weekend at the NGO Forum in the Gambia. Those changes need to include the human rights of LGBT people, according to … Continue reading
