Saturday, January 16, 2010

RWANDA PAVES WAY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS RESPECT FOR LGBTI

Rwanda paves the way for universal respect
of human rights in Africa by refusing
to criminalise homosexuality





In December 2009, the lower House of the Rwandan Parliament was set to vote upon a revised Penal Code, Article 217 of which would have made homosexuality a criminal offence for the first time in the East African nation.

Following a strong mobilisation from diplomats and human rights activists in the region, Tharcisse Karugarama, Minister of Justice, declared that the Rwandan government "cannot and will not in any way criminalize homosexuality", reaffirming that sexual orientation was "a private matter and each individual has his or her own orientation – this is not a State matter at all".

Michael Cashman MEP, Co-president of the European Parliament's Intergroup on LGBT Rights, enthusiastically congratulated Rwandan authorities on their decision: "In a context increasingly repressive of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people in African countries, Rwanda did the right thing by refusing to criminalise homosexuality. This is yet another example of Rwanda being a role-model for African nations."

Mr Cashman further added: "With this courageous decision, Rwanda is paving the way for everyone's human rights to be respected in the region. The European Parliament's Intergroup on LGBT Rights calls on other African nations to follow the lead of Rwanda, and abide by Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights."

Homosexuality is currently a criminal offence in several African countries, and punished by death in Mauritania, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan, and potentially Uganda.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

QUEER ALLIANCE NIGERIA -STRATEGIC PLANS

QUEER ALLIANCE NIGERIA
Our rights… Our lives

OUR IDENTITY

THE VISION: The vision of Queer Alliance Nigeria is basically towards a non discriminatory Nigerian society especially on the grounds of sexual orientation and any other grounds.

THE MISSION: Queer Alliance Nigeria is a human rights and health advocacy / support group for the LGBTI community in Nigeria. Our mission statement is to facilitate an enabling environment for the liberation of LGBTI Nigeria through advocacy, education and publications. To provide health related information / services to the LGBTI community in Lagos and Nigeria.

Queer Alliance intends to achieve this mission through collaborations with other LGBTI organizations and human rights outfits, thereby creating and environment where the human rights of LGBTI persons are respected and recognized as members of the Nigerian society.

Queer Alliance will work for the establishment of a socially ordered community where sexual orientation shall not constitute a barrier to the attainment and enjoyments of all fundamental human rights and liberation that are entitled to us as human beings irrespective of sexual orientation. The establishment of a good and excellent working relationship with funds providers, LGBTI members and LGBTI advocacy groups in Nigeria.

We shall also strive to collaborate with other stakeholders in human rights advocacy in areas of mutual interest both home/abroad.

CORE VALUES:
INTEGRITY: Consistent, committed and transparent in our decisions and conduct. Fulfilling our mission and conducting ourselves in a way that is true to our identity.

DIVERSITY: We shall seek to learn from the different ways of life in our community and the Nigerian society at large, opinions as represented by LGBTI persons in Nigeria themselves. We respect ad actively encourage the participation of LGBTI and non-LGBTI alike in order to achieve our aims.

PARTICIPATION: We seek to create a dynamic environment, where everyone can get involved in the building up of the community and the Nigerian society at large.

DIALOGUE: Engage in dialogue rather than debate whose outcome might produce strife.




QUEER ALLIANCE TOP 5 PRIORITIES

1. Human rights advocacy and activism for the LGBTI community in Nigeria.
2. Advocating for the health needs of LGBTI persons in Nigeria and provide services where possible appropriately.
3. Publications:
(a) Produce quarterly magazine that features, health, religion, romance amongst others that is aimed at educating the LGBTI community and the Nigeria society at large on homosexual.
(b)Maintaining a weblog with information as regards sexuality and other social matters and probably upgrade it to a website.
(c) Production of tracts /leaflets that is aimed at supporting the “coming out” process.
4. Empowerment: Empowering the less educationally qualified LGBTI persons on building income and resources to sustain their livelihood and leadership skills for educationally qualified LGBTI persons.
5. Research for better advocacy for the fundamental human rights of LGBTI persons in Nigeria.


STRATEGIC PLANS (2010 – 2013)
OUR ACTIONS (IDAHO AS DEADLINE)
ACTION 1: HUMAN RIGHTS / REFORM

TARGETS:
By September 2010, we shall strive to have in place a relationship with the legal Defense and Assistance Project in order to provide assistance to LGBTI persons who are being persecuted by legal entities. At the moment there is an institutional relationship with the Independent Project for referrals and further action.

By IDAHO 2011: To have an LGBTI human rights committee in place (collaboration with other LGBTI rights org) thereby developing a human rights strategy based on LGBTI right violations.

By IDAHO 2012: To have formed a relationship with religious progressive in Nigeria as regards sexuality, human rights and religion.

By IDAHO 2013: To have formed a partnership arrangement with the National Human Rights Commission on advocacy for LGBTI persons in Nigeria / and other LGBTI organizations or supportive groups. Also Queer Alliance would have developed working relationships with lawyers from within the LGBTI community, in order the legal services being provided for persons who are been persecuted by legal and social entities.

ACTIONS 2: HEALTH AND RELATED SERVICES.

TARGETS:
By December 1st 2010: Queer Alliance Nigerian website would be launched and dully operational with a health page that will provide information on heath and gag friendly health services centres.

By IDAHO 2010: Queer Alliance would have established an institutional relationship with the Presidency Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief of 68 military Hospital Yaba for referral services on HIV prevention, care and treatment.

By December 2010: Queer Alliance Nigeria would have trained 25 MSM/WSW peer educators and sexual health promoters from the 6 geopolitical zones of the country in order that all LGBTI persons be reached with the message of HIV prevention care and treatment.

By IDAHO 2011: Queer Alliance Nigeria would have taken a step further in providing for the health made of WSW on grounds of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment.

By IDAHO 2012/13: Queer Alliance Nigeria in partnership with doctors who are LGBTI or LGBTI friendly would take a step further in trying to create or have in place an exclusively LGBTI health centre on a part-time basis for members of the LGBTI community.

ACTION 3: EMPOWERMENT
By IDAHO 2010: Queer Alliance Nigeria would have come up with implementable empowerment programs in vocational skills building for members of he LGBTI community who are less educational ualified and economical undependable for onward implementation before the year in question runs out.

By December 2011/IDAHO 2012: Queer Alliance Nigeria in collaboration with other LGBTI organizations would have taken the initiative if not educated the first National Queer youth Empowerment summit that in targeted at all members of the LGBTI community in Nigeria with emphasis in leadership skills development.

ACTION 4: PUBLICATION
TARGET:
By Dec 2010: Queer Alliance Nigeria would use journalism as a tool for activism by having a website which would be fully operational with information on sexuality, human rights, health and amongst other with strong emphasis placed on educating the Nigeria public on LGBTI issues.

By IDAHO 2011: When Queer Alliance Nigeria website would have been operational, we shall use the internet to place advocacy and campaign messages for the liberation of the LGBTI community. Messages as regards human rights and sexual orientation would be prominently highlighted on the website.

By IDAHO 2012: Queer Alliance Nigeria issued take the bold step towards the establishment o an LGBTI journal that will feature health, romance, religion, entertainment among other issues but which will be distributed (not for free neither for profit) in the community.

ACTION 5: CAPACITY BUILDING.
TARGET:
By Dec 2011: Queer Alliance Nigeria would have undergone the process and be registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a non profit organization with the name CENTRE FOR HEALTH AND SEXUAL RIGHTS if not Queer Alliance for registration’s sake.

Before IDAHO 2011: Queer Alliance Executive Director shall have undergone a Human Right, Training or Fellowship either locally or abroad to enable him carry out the functions of the office.

By IDAHO 2012: Two other volunteers/staff of Queer Alliance who are committed to its vision and mission statement would also have undergone a training in human rights.

By Dec 2011: Queer Alliance Nigeria would support and be instrumental in forming the Lagos LGBTI choir, that will be on its way to staying the first performance.

By 2013: Queer Alliance would have identify other possible source of funding locally in order to complement donors effort.

In the meantime, the sole responsibility of running the organization rests with the management team whose function is over sited and coordinated by the board of trustees. The head of the organization shall be the Executive Director but who reports to the Board of Trustees and whose actions and office is monitored by the Board.