IDAHOT: Celebrate Family Diversity

(Kampala) Today, 17th May 2017, Chapter Four Uganda joins the rest of the World to mark the International Day against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOT).

Click here for the statement in PDF.

Established in 2004, the day is an annual landmark that was created to draw attention of opinion leaders, policy makers, social movements, the public and the media to the violence and discrimination experienced by Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender and Intersex people Internationally.

The theme for this year is ‘Celebrate Family Diversity: ‘Love Makes a Family’ and will focus on the role of families in the physical and emotional well being of LGBT people, and the special and legal recognition of families where at least one parent Identifies as a LGBTI.

The right to form a family is core to the identity of an individual. The family is and should be a safe space for all and for the expression of one’s love. The family is core to one’s humanity. Yet too often, LGBTI people in Uganda are either unable to lawfully form families or are denied by their own families. This deprives LGBTI individuals of the safety net and love of a family. This endangers their social and other well being and limits the realization of their full potential and contribution to society.

Lesbian identifying Individuals have often times been denied the right to foster or adopt children on the basis of their orientation despite fulfilling all the stringent conditions set to protect the rights of children.

Gay, Transgender and Bisexual men have often times also been denied the right to form a family through fertility services and adoption on the basis of the detrimental misconceptions of pedophilia as perpetuated by conservative and populace movements.

‘If we hold true that fundamental rights are human rights, it follows that LGBTI individuals, humans too, must be accorded similar protection under the law. It is inconceivable, and unconscionable that we treat other human beings as being less and underserving of forming a family’ said Nicholas Opiyo, the Executive Director of Chapter Four Uganda.

‘The worst situations Ugandan LGBTI individuals have described include parents forcing them to undergo corrective therapy including shock therapy and religious exorcisms, forced banishment from family home and villages, and persistent verbal, emotional and physical abuse from immediate families’ said Clare Byarugaba, the Equality and Non-Discrimination Coordinator at Chapter Four Uganda.

We join the rest of the world to reiterate the rights of all Ugandan LGBTI individuals to equality and non-discrimination in all spheres of life including family situations.

We urge the authorities to protect all LGBTI individuals from inhumane and degrading treatment that may be propagated by families, cultural and religious groups, as well as political and institutional agencies to do no harm to LGBTI individuals. Homophobia and Transphobia have adverse effects on an individual’s ability to thrive and be a responsible citizen of Uganda.    

Chapter Four Uganda therefore calls on every Ugandan to do their part to end targeted exclusion, violence and discrimination against LGBTI individuals.

Equal protection under the law for all, as guaranteed under the Ugandan constitution must be upheld for all without any form of discrimination.

Ends. 

For further information;

Contact: Clare cbyarugaba@chapterfouruganda.com