Global Equality Caucus welcomes UK Government multi-year funding for legislative engagement in Southern Africa

Over the past year the Global Equality Caucus has grown and formalised a regional network in Southern Africa, following dedicated in-region work to engage with parliamentarians on LGBT+ rights and connect them with expert civil society stakeholders.

We are pleased to announce today that this work will continue with a multi-year funding commitment from the UK Government.

Throughout 2023 we were able to meet with community champions as well as legislators across five priority countries in Southern Africa, and we launched our regional chapter at a major convening event in Johannesburg in November. In our next phase of work, we aim to harness the power of the network to support parliamentarians in the development of LGBT+ inclusive policies and legislation.

Southern Africa has been making progress on LGBT+ rights, and in the past year we have seen decriminalisation in Mauritius and limited recognition of same-sex partnerships in Namibia. It is important to consolidate and build on this progress, with an immediate risk posed by the spread of anti-LGBT+ sentiment underpinned by punitive laws such as in Uganda. With similar proposals appearing in Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania, and vocal backlash from Burundi to Botswana, there is an urgent need to prevent backsliding in countries where developments have been recorded. 

The new funding agreement with the UK Government through to 2027 means we are able to build further momentum towards sustainable change and expand work beyond our initial priority countries of Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi and South Africa to also include Mauritius, Namibia, Seychelles and Zambia. Staff working in the region will engage with legislators to strengthen understanding on LGBT+ issues and draft inclusive laws, developing practical steps to ensure minority rights are at the heart of legislative agendas in Southern Africa and into the greater region.

Key to the programme is a South-South engagement approach, which draws on the experiences of our network in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region to connect legislators across regions to share knowledge and strategies, ensuring progress is led from the Global South.

Tshepo Kgositau, GEC Regional Manager for Africa, said: “We are excited to develop this next phase of our Southern Africa project with funding from the UK Government. Legislators have the power to safeguard and strengthen LGBT+ rights but often lack the resources and support to do so. By creating inclusive spaces and building transnational connections, our regional network will upskill and empower parliamentarians to build sustainable change over the next three years.”