The Coalition of African Lesbians

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