Statement on Uganda court ruling

The Global Equality Caucus is deeply disappointed that the Constitutional Court of Uganda has declined to nullify the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 in its entirety.

While we note that some provisions of the Act have been found to be inconsistent with the right to health and privacy, the legislation overall contravenes Uganda’s international human rights commitments including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women.

Passage of the Act has already led to an increase in violence against LGBT+ people, the closure of civil society organisations, and restricted access to HIV healthcare services. We will continue to work with legislators and civil society partners to ensure the Act does not inspire new punitive laws in other countries, and will continue to support the brave activists seeking the Act’s nullification should this case proceed to the Supreme Court.

We condemn the Act’s criminalisation of LGBT+ people and reaffirm our call for this hateful, damaging and regressive legislation to be repealed.

SIGNED:

HON. FOX ODOI-OYWELOWO, GEC Member, Uganda

HON. ANDY LABONTE, GEC Steering Committee, Seychelles

HON. UNITY DOW, GEC Steering Committee, Botswana

HON. ESTHER PASSARIS, GEC Steering Committee, Kenya

HON. LORRAINE NXUMALO, GEC Member, Eswatini

HON. DANIEL MOLOKELE, GEC Member, Zimbabwe

HON BERNARD GEORGES, GEC Member, Seychelles

NICK HERBERT, GEC Chair, United Kingdom

TAMARA ADRIÁN, GEC Deputy Chair, Venezuela

RICKI KGOSITAU, GEC Regional Manager for Africa