The AU recently refused observer status to three NGOs, which denies them the ability to draw attention to the human rights violations of LGBTQ+ people in Africa.
The primary human rights watchdog in Africa recently made a decision that departed from its existing practice.
One of the commission’s competences is to grant observer status to NGOs. This entitles an NGO to participate in the commission’s public sessions, and make statements drawing attention to the violation of the rights of the most vulnerable, including sexual and gender minorities. In my view the commission is on shaky ground in asserting that the three NGOs pursue a particular LGBTQ+ agenda. A look at the publicly accessible websites of all three casts doubt on this assertion.
The commission itself has adopted the position that sexual orientation are grounds on which discrimination under the African Charter cannot be tolerated. Resolution 275, adopted at the African Commission’s 55th Ordinary Session, in 2014, specifically condemns “systematic attacks by state and non-state actors” against persons because of their imputed or real sexual orientation or gender identity.
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