GEC meets with activists and officials at Pan Africa ILGA conference

The Global Equality Caucus continues to develop its network in Southern Africa, with our Regional Manager Tshepo Kgositau attending the 6th regional conference organised by Pan Africa ILGA in Mauritius.

Held from 31 July to 4 August, around 400 activists, civil society organisations and officials attended the conference, with delegates focusing on the theme of ‘Pride and Resilience’ and the promotion of LGBT+ rights in Africa in the face of rising homophobia and transphobia.

As part of the conference, the Global Equality Caucus contributed to a panel “Building the Business Case for LGBTI Inclusion”, co-convened by our regional partner The Other Foundation with Human Rights Campaign and moderated by our Regional Manager. The session highlighted the intersections between business inclusivity of LGBTI people and broader economic inclusion and participation of LGBTI Africans; a charge for legislators to ensure better inclusive economic developmental planning; and agenda setting both at national and continental level.

GEC Regional Manager Tshepo Kgositau moderates a panel at the Pan Africa ILGA conference.

There was also an opportunity for us to meet with John Jeffrey MP, the South African Deputy Minister of Justice and Constitutional Development, to discuss progress on South Africa’s Hate Crime & Hate Speech Bill.

Our Regional Manager also met with trans activists at the two-day trans pre-conference and with multiple faith-based organisations at the interfaith pre-conference. The advance of the anti-gender movement and the increase in ‘anti-sodomy’ legislation were highlighted by activists, with concerns raised that governments hostile to LGBT+ rights were being funded by religious fundamentalist groups.

A key takeaway from our conversations at the conference was the urgent need for civil society to be supported in their advocacy efforts and to improve the working relationship between advocates and legislators.

This remains a priority for our work in Southern Africa and we will continue to expand our network over the coming months, working with legislators and civil society to develop strategies and policies for greater LGBT+ inclusion in the region.