Monday, October 24, 2011

Banjul, the Gambia

THE 50th SESSION OF THE AFRICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN AND PEOPLE'S RIGHTS HAS STARTED OF WITH POSITIVE NOTE FROM THE CHAIR
Victor Mukasa

The 50th Session of the ACmHPR has taken off today and CAL is still at it. The opening session started off with the singing of the African Union anthem. Very long but meaningful. It calls for a better life for all Africans.

So many speeches but one very powerful speech was by the out-going Chairperson, Madam Reine Alapini-Gansou. She commended human rights defenders for the great work that they do in protecting and promoting human rights. She added there have been successes and that should be acknowledged. she said that there are still so many challenges in defending human rights at the Commission. She specifically encouraged NGOs and Commissioners to keep working and that some issues such as the rights of sexual minorities and land rights should be taken on.

Madam Alapini-Gansou is a very progressive human rights defender and has been very encouraging to defenders in terms of sexual orientation and gender identity issues. Her progressiveness will greatly be missed but work continues with other commissioners. We hope that the next chair will have a listening hear and ready for dialogue on issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity.

Please keep checking. CAL is still in Banjul and we will keep you updated.

Banjul, the Gambia

October 23, 2011

TWO SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY (SOGI) RELATED RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE NGO FORUM

Victor Mukasa

The NGO Forum ended on Friday, October 21, 2011. Very powerful deliberations by African human rights defenders on the situation of human rights on the continent and it is clear that Africans are still facing gross human rights violations; not only LGBTI people, to emphasize.

The various resolutions that came out of the various special interest groups that we reported about on October 20 were presented before the Forum on October 21. We are happy to report that the 2 Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) specific resolutions were both adopted by the NGO Forum and will be presented to the Commission for adoption. A couple of other groups had resolutions that made mention of SOGI issues and these too were adopted by the Forum.

The 50^th session of the ACmHPR starts tomorrow, October 24 till November 7. CAL will be in attendance for the next few days.  We will keep you updated.

Banjul, The Gambia – October 20, 2011

DAY TWO OF THE NGO FORUM IN BANJUL, DAY 1 FOR THE CAL DELEGATION

Victor Mukasa

It is 11:50pm in Banjul, the Gambia and I have just returned from my last meeting with a group of human right defenders. It is humbling to learning what HRDs face as they do their work in different countries. I am really humbled!!!!

It is day number 1 for the CAL delegation at the NGO Forum which precedes the session of the African Commission. CAL is being represented by Mariam Armisen, Monica Tabengwa and myself, Victor Mukasa. The Forum started yesterday, the 19^th of October, 2011. We missed the first day due to the obligatory delay of 10 hours in transit in Dakar, Senegal.

Summary of sessions:

For the determination not to follow the ordinary stuff, I will begin with the last session of the day; SPECIAL INTEREST GROUPS DISCUSSION: Development, Progress and challenges – 30 years after the African Charter

In total, there were 12 special interest groups for this session, namely;

-          Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

-          People Living with HIV/AIDS in Africa

-          Children’s Rights in Africa

-          Freedom of Expression and Protection of journalists

-          Women’s Rights in Africa

-          Indigenous Populations and Communities in Africa

-          Death Penalty in Africa

-          Refugees, Asylum Seekers, IDPs and Migrants in Africa

-          Extractive Industries, environment and Human Rights Violations in Africa

-          Human Rights Defenders in Africa

-          Economic, Social and Cultural Rights in Africa

-          Prisons and Conditions of Detention in Africa

12 groups; 3 delegates;

The CAL delegation had to make a decision on which groups to participate in. The group on Sexual Orientation was a MUST attend as, according to the program, CAL was the Chair. Monica Tabengwa joined delegates from different organizations and doubled as Chair and Rapporteur of the group. In their presentation, the group highlighted the minimal, but worth recognition, progress at the NGO Forum and African Commission in terms of issues related to sexual orientation and gender identity. The fact that since 2006 when LGBT activists first showed up at the Commission, the Commissioners have, more than thrice, interrogated states about violations against LGBT people in particular countries, was noted. In addition to this, the group drafted a resolution on LGBT human rights that will be presented to the Forum tomorrow, in the hope that it will be adopted. LGBT? Special interest group? Progress!!!!

Mariam Armisen attended the group on Women’s Rights in Africa. During their presentation, the group highlighted the double stigma that lesbians face because they are women and of a sexual orientation that faces prejudice, among other violations faced by women in Africa. This group will be bringing a resolution before the Forum tomorrow also in the hope that it will be adopted.

I attended the group on Human Rights Defenders in Africa. Chaired by the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Commissioner Lucy Asuagbor, came up with 2 resolutions and 1 reccommendation. The 2 resoluions were on Freedom of association and assembly, the violation of which has affected the work of human rights defenders in Africa, and the other on repression of human rights defenders. The recommendation was on the rejection of CAL’s application for Status by the Commission in which the group strongly recommends that the commission grants Observer Status to CAL.  

Earlier in the day, there was a session dubbed; Housing is a Human Right: Stop forcd evictions in Africa. Defenders called for solidarity among African civil society in addressing the issue of forced evictions, which was noted to be on a high in Kenya, Zimbabwe, Equatorial Guinea, Ghana and Angola.They called for protection from governments against violations. Defenders reported that the evictions are carried out without prior notice given in sufficient time. Those who execute the evictions destroy both lives and property.

Other sessions were panel discussions; Principles and Guidelines on Economic and Social Rights (Nairobi Guidelines) and Reporting Guidelines (Tunis Guidelines), and Freedom of association – Progress, Opportunities and Challenges over the last 30 years.

Tomorrow, October 21, will be the last day of the Forum. As promised, CAL will update you on most of the happening especially the draft resolutions that include the human rights of LGBT people in Africa

Welcome to CAL's new bog! 

The Coalition of African Lesbians is thrilled to announce the launch of its new blog. The aim of this space is to update member and partner organizations as well as the general public about CAL's advocacy and lobbying work. We hope to make this blog, an engaging space and integral part of our work. 

WHO WE ARE

The Coalition of African Lesbians [CAL] is a formation of more than 30 organisations in 19 countries in Africa committed to advancing justice for lesbian and bisexual women and transdiverse people.

We are passionate feminists, activists and human rights defenders.

The Coalition is committed to raising consciousness amongst and strengthening activism and leadership of lesbian and bisexual women and transdiverse people. We believe in the power of collective action. We view ourselves as a part of social movements, including the women’s movement, the sexual and reproductive rights movement, the broader lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex movement and the economic justice movement.

Whilst our direct constituency is lesbian and bisexual women and transdiverse people, we are politically located within the women’s and LGBTI communities and as such, we engage in an ongoing way with the broader struggles and in some of our work, work in a direct way with LGBTI people and with women more broadly.

WHAT WE BELIEVE

The Coalition of African Lesbians is mindful of how oppressive forms of power keep us unfree and unequal and rob us of our dignity. We understand that the oppression we live and experience as lesbian and bisexual women and transdiverse people is created and sustained by patriarchy in the first instance.

Patriarchy, the system of male domination is responsible for the oppression of all women. It also oppresses men who do not conform to patriarchal ideas of what a man is and should be. Patriarchy then contributes in a major way to the deep fear of those of us who do not comply with or fit into the norms that it creates about what it means to be a woman a and what it means to be a man. Homophobia and transphobia result from this process.

We believe that our multiple identities intersect and are linked. Our race, class, gender, sexual orientation, [dis]ability, geographic location and other identities are connected in a web of oppression.

We also believe that even as we are violated and oppressed, we also have individual and collective power as actors and activists with agency and capability to change the way the world works.  We work to strengthen this power amongst ourselves as a movement and together with other movements. It is this that gives us the hope to push for the kind of change we want to see in the world.

WHAT WE WANT

The Coalition of African Lesbians [CAL] works to transform Africa into a place where all lesbian and bisexual women and transdiverse people enjoy the full range of human rights, secure in the knowledge that we are recognized as full citizens, with rich and diverse cultures, and a significant and respected presence in all spheres of life, including social, political and economic and through personal and organizational growth.

WHERE WE WILL BE LOBBYING THIS MONTH

CAL at the NGO Forum and the 50^th Session of the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights (ACHPR): 18^th- 27^th October, 2011

Background

The Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) is a network of organisations working to transform Africa into a continent where all lesbians, bisexual and trans-diverse people enjoy a full range of human rights secure in the knowledge that we are recognised as full persons and citizens with rich and diverse cultures and enjoy significant and respected presence in all the spheres of life. Our work is shaped by an African radical feminist understanding, informed by research and strengthened by the claiming of social and economic power.

CAL has conducted advocacy at both the NGO Forum and the African Commission on Human and People's Rights (ACHPR) sessions since 2006. In May 2009 CAL participated in a panel discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity in Africa together with activists and human rights defenders from Kenya, Uganda, Cameroon and South Africa.  Again in May 2010 CAL convened another panel again to facilitate discussions on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) in Africa and to update partners and allies and the Forum on ongoing actions. In particular to inform the Forum about how the decision by the ACHPR to deny CAL observer status in 2010 on the basis that ‘the activities of the said organisation –CAL do not promote and protect any of the rights enshrined in the African Charter’ has affected the organization’s advocacy and lobbying activities and to engage with allies, partners and member organizations at the forum toward building solidarity around SOGI issues at the AC.

We, Victor Mukasa, Monica Tabengwa and Mariam Armisen will be CAL’s delegation at the upcoming NGO Forum and the 50^th Session and also the 30^th anniversary of ACHPR. While the mood at the session will no doubt be a celebratory one, the AC is turning 30 and while we plan on joining some of the festivities, our main goal is to keep challenging the ACHPR further to recognise LGBTI rights as human rights and take actions to include, protect and promote these rights. Granting CAL the observer status to fully represent the human rights issues of lesbian, bisexuals and trans-diverse people in Africa would be one step towards recognizing the rights of LGBTI people in Africa.

CAL’s Action Plan and Activism the 50^th Session of the ACHPR:

• 1.      Submit a follow up letter to the AC, pressing for a formal explanation to why it denied CAL the OS;
• 2.      Distribute the follow up letter to allies, partners and members organizations to include in their communication package to the AC;
• 3.      Schedule meetings with Commissionaires;
• 4.      Strategy with allies, partners and members at both the NGO Forum and the AC around  CAL’s application  process before re-applying for observer status;
• 5.      Organize a side event to build new and strengthen existing relationships as a strategy to further develop solidarity with allies, partners and members organizations;
• 6.      Publish a press release in honour of ACHPR’s 30^th anniversary.  

HOW TO GET INVOLVED! 

• Send us your comments
• Spread the word
• Like us on Facebook, at 
• Follow us on twitter, at http://twitter.com/#!/CoalitionCAL
• Connect us to civil society organizations attending the AC
• Link us to your country's Commissionaire at the AC

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE SECRETARIAT AT:

Tel: +27 11 918 2182 / 5507 / 6115

Fax: +27 11 918 5609

Email: info@cal.org.za

URL: www.cal.org.za