fbpx

The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESC) Unit, Centre for Human Rights is presenting a webinar on Resolution 275 and its protection of lesbian, bisexual, and queer (LBQ) cis and trans women in Africa. The webinar will explore various challenges faced by the LBQ cis and trans women in Africa and how these challenges can be tackled using Resolution 275 of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (African Commission). The webinar will also provide a space and an opportunity for dialogue and education for the community on the African human rights system.

Download Invitation

Introduction

Resolution 275 was adopted by the African Commission on 12 May 2014. The resolution expresses grave concern about increasing violence and other human rights violations, including murder, rape, assault, in respect of persons based on their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. It calls upon states to take action for stopping such violence, to ensure that human rights defenders working on the human rights of sexual minorities are free from reprisals and take appropriate measures to ensure adequate remedies are ensured to victims of such violence. Despite the provisions of Resolution 275, LBQ women continue to suffer violence and discrimination across the African continent and LGBTIQ+ human rights defenders are still subject to social, political, and legal hostility. As such, there is a need to raise more awareness on Resolution 275 and educate governments, law enforcement authorities, the judiciary and other stakeholders on the need to eradicate SOGIE-based violence and discrimination and to recognize and respect the rights of LBQ women in Africa. There is also a need to encourage LGBTIQ+ human rights defenders on the use of the African regional human rights mechanisms. This webinar will provide an interactive discussion by human rights defenders on the opportunities offered by Resolution 275 for protecting LBQ women in Africa both at the domestic level and through the African human rights system. The webinar specifically focuses on LBQ women in Africa to highlight the distinct (and often undocumented) human rights violations and negative social attitudes they continue to face both in the wider society and within the LGBTIQ+ community. Also, there is an important need to raise awareness on how LBQ women in Africa can take advantage of the African regional human rights system, especially considering that human rights treaties, including the Maputo Protocol, provides no explicit mention of LBQ women.

Topics 

  • Challenges experienced by LBQ women in the different spaces that they inhabit.
  • What is Resolution 275 and how can it be utilised to protect LBQ women in their respective societies?
  • African regional human rights mechanisms available to use by human rights defenders for implementing Resolution 275 for LBQ women.
  • Challenges preventing the implementation of Resolution 275 particularly as it pertains to LBQ women.
  • How LBQ advocacy initiatives can take advantage of the African human rights system at a grassroots level.

Panel Moderator:

  • Thiruna Naidoo,
    Project Officer: SOGIESC Unit & Associate: Communications and Advocacy at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa

Speakers

  • Dr Rudo Chigudu
    Postdoctoral Fellow at the Centre for Human Rights,University of Pretoria, South Africa.
  • Matilda Lasseko-Phooko
    Manager: Women's rights unit at the Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa 
  • Laurah Arudi
    SOGIE Programme Officer at the Network of National African Human Rights Institutions, Kenya
  • Gloria Mutyaba,
    Programs officer at Freedom and Roam Uganda, Uganda.

For more information, please contact:

Dr Ayodele Sogunro
Project Manager: SOGIESC Unit

Tel: +27 (0) 12 420 3151
Fax: +27 (0) 86 580 5743
ayodele.sogunro@up.ac.za

Mx Nathan Milanzi (they/them)
Intern: SOGIESC Unit

Tel: +27 (0) 12 420 3151
Fax: +27 (0) 86 580 5743
nathan.milanzi@up.ac.za

Newsletter

 Subscribe to our newsletter