Uganda’s parliament recently passed the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Bill, which seeks to criminalize homosexuality, making it punishable by imprisonment, while also placing a duty on friends and family members to report anyone in a same-sex relationship. The proposed law would also outlaw funding for any LGBT-related activities and prohibit any journalists or media outlets from publishing or broadcasting supposed gay content. Even more concerning, those found engaging in “aggravated homosexuality,” defined as abusing children or vulnerable people, could face the death penalty.
This draconian bill has been met with outrage from human rights organizations and the international community, who argue that it is an abhorrent assault on personal freedom and human dignity. Unfortunately, Uganda is not alone in its anti-LGBT stance, as at least half of the 64 countries that still criminalize same-sex relationships are in Africa. While the world is moving toward more acceptance of LGBT rights, Africa remains a near-unanimous block of intolerance.
South Africa, which held its first Pride march in 1990, became the first country on the continent to legalize same-sex marriages. However, this is the exception rather than the norm, as more African countries continue to follow Uganda’s lead and toughen restrictions on the LGBT community. The widespread homophobia, often enshrined in law and repeatedly upheld by courts, has led to violence against the LGBT community in many African countries.
Vice President Kamala Harris, during her recent visit to Africa, called for African countries to ensure that all people are treated equally, but she was careful not to directly address the issue of Uganda’s anti-LGBT bill. Advocating for LGBT rights is likely to come across as another example of the United States lecturing Africa and not listening.
As Uganda’s president, Yoweri Museveni, considers signing the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law, human rights organizations are urging him to veto the bill, which threatens personal freedom and human dignity. It is time for African leaders to recognize that human rights are universal and that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their sexual orientation.