Behind the Mask

BEHIND THE MASK a website on gay and lesbian affairs in Africa

all africa

all africa
This section covers pan-African LGBT issues and stories which report on, or have an impact on, a group of, or all, African countries.

regional indices

southern africa

central africa

east africa
indian ocean

horn of africa

west africa

saharan africa

north africa

international organisations

ILGA (International Lesbian and Gay Association) Admin office
81 Kolermarkt, B1000, Brussels
Tel: +32 (0)2 502 2471
Fax: +32 (0)2 502 2471
Email: ilga@ilga.org
IGLHRC (International Gay and Lesbian Human Rights Commission)
Address: 1360 Mission Street, Suite 200, California CA94103
Tel: +1 415 255 8680
Fax: +1 415 255 8662
Email: iglhrc@iglhrc.org
Website: www.iglhrc.org
activities: lobbying and advocacy

pan african organisations

while we sit and bitch, gay human rights abuses continue
August 17, 2005: The editor of UK Gay News, Andy Harley, bemoans that while privileged gay and lesbian people sit in the comfort of their own homes and worry about how else to enjoy their lives, thousands of LGBTI people, mostly in non-English speaking world, face horrific and intolerable discrimination. A North-South human rights divide BtM is worried about. More...

gay marriage not africa's problem - cleric
August 15, 2005: Amidst the uproar over gay marriage in Europe and the America, President of All Africa Conference of Churches (AACC), Rt. Rev. Dr. Nyansako-ni-Nku, has declared that gay marriage is not Africa's problem. More...

le malheur d'être hommo dans le monde arabe.
Juillet 2005: humiliations, insultes, passages à tabac, viols... dans certains quartiers, les homosexuels vivent un calvaire. surtout les jeunes d'origine maghrébin. Plus...

african court on human rights to merge with au justice court
July, 2005: The African Court on Human and People's Rights will merge with the African Union (AU) Court of Justice. More...

african governments reject usa approval of hiv/aids drugs
June 24, 2005: A row has reportedly erupted between the US government and four African countries over the refusal to accept the FDA approval of generic AIDS drugs manufactured in South Africa. More...

behind the mask celebrates world press freedom day
May 3, 2005: Today, on World Press Freedom Day, Behind the Mask commends those journalists across Africa who courageously report in an unbiased manner on matters and stories relating to Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (GLBTI) people. More...

new pope 'has been homophobic'
April 20, 2005: Worldwide skepticism, from both liberal and gay activists, greets the new pontiff. More...

african lesbian activists launch the coalition of african lesbians
April 7, 2005: The first organisation to work on the equality of lesbians at a continental level is launched in Namibia. More…

farewell symposium
November 1, 2004: A symposium on Homosexualities and HIV entitled, "More Than a Question of Rights" which was held in Amsterdam last month also marked the departure of Frans Mom from HiVOS and gave AARI representatives an opportunity to meet and further develop the organisation. More…

ala is now cal
August 2004: The Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) is the alliance that use to be African lesbian Alliance (ALA). One of the outcomes of a recent gathering of women in Winhoek, Namibia. More…

iglhrc mourns the murder of fannyann eddy
October 5, 2004: Calls on activists everywhere to respond. More...

a subtle struggle in africa
August 29, 2004: gays gaining some ground, but many still persecuted, Young pastors use ugandan church to teach tolerance. More...

internet regulation could be blow to lgbt rights
July 26, 2004: New Vision in Uganda has reported that The World Vision National Director, Robby Muhumuza, has called for strict laws to govern the use of the Internet, saying it poses a threat if abused. More…

human rights watch launch lgbt programme
July 15, 2004: Human Rights Watch have announced the launch of an international lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender programme which will be headed by long-term activist Scott Long. More…

what happened in geneva?
May 2004: Wendy Isaacks from the Equality Project reports back about the recent meeting of the UNCHR in Geneva. More…

un's annan faces outrage over gay family ruling
April 2, 2004: UNITED NATIONS - Secretary General Kofi Annan on Friday was pressed to reconsider his decision to extend family benefits to the gay partners of UN staff after an outcry from African and Muslim countries. More...

fannyann viola eddy's submission to un
March 2004. More...

The Johannesburg Statement from the All Africa Rights Initiative
February 2004: Read more...

brazilian resolution falters
April 2, 2004: As the UN Commission on Human Rights and several representatives from LGBT organisations from around the world converge on Geneva in Switzerland the anti-gay forces appear to be making headway in their campaign against human rights for all. More…

a most significant conference
March 1, 2004: A meeting of representatives from lesbian and gay organisations from around Africa took place at the beginning of February in Johannesburg. Over 65 delegates from 17 different countries were present at what has been called the most significant meeting of its kind in Africa. More…

court to boost human right in africa
January 26, 2004: An African Union protocol establishing the African Court on Human and People's Rights has come into force. The paves the way for the continent's first-ever judicial institution dedicated to protecting basic human rights. More...

botswana's church leaders denounce gay bishop
December 9, 2003: The Anglican Church in Botswana has joined a growing list of African Anglican dioceses that have refused to recognise the consecration of Revd Gene Robinson as Bishop-Coadjutor of the Diocese of New Hampshire in the United States, because of his sexual orientation. Bishop Robinson entered the history books last month when he was consecrated as the first openly gay bishop. More...

everything will come to light - research on female desires is africa
June 2003: Research on same-sex practices among African women received a big boost this year in preparation for the "Sex and Secrecy" Conference held end of June in Johannesburg. More...

homosexuality in africa
July 4, 2002: BBC AfricaLive debate. More...

human rights of gays and lesbians and the UN
November 29, 2001: Speech by Dr Biong Deng - Regional Office for Southern Africa at the Facing Behind the Mask Workshop. More...

homosexuality debate distracts aids conference
June 27, 2001: Once again discussion of cultural and religious attitudes to gays and prostitutes almost stalled discussions at the UN Special, Session on Aids. More...

black homophobia
April 15, 2001: Black homophobia contributes to persecution of glbt Africans. More...

ilga report 2000

l'homosexualité en afrique
Mai 2000: "L'homosexualité est une tare de la société blanche, qui ne s'applique pas aux Africains !" More...

le lesbianisme en afrique More...

phénomene *homosexualité en afrique*
October 1999: Olivier Jablonski (Paris)
More...

subtle art of being gay the african way
September 26 1999: Just days before the International Gay and Lesbian Association was to begin its conference in Johannesburg this week, the first on African soil, Uganda’s main newspaper, New Vision, ran a double-page pullout procliaming: "Homosexuals increasing in Uganda. Who’s responsible?" More...

homosexuality is all-african
September 1999: Thanks to the efforts of a group of Norwegian researchers homosexual behaviour amongst members of a tribe in the north of Namibia, a tribe that has not been influenced by Christianity, has been recorded. More...

out of the closet about historical facts
Undated: Is homosexuality African? If you inclined to believe Mugabe, Nujoma and some other Africans, homosexuality is yet another one of those perfidious Western vices. Yet there are many indications that even in Africa, homosexuality is as old as mankind itself. But the prison sentences do come from the West. More...