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1. Canaries in the Coal Mines: An analysis of spaces for LGBTI activism in Namibia

Author:
Finn Reagan
Publication Date:
12-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Other Foundation
Abstract:
Namibia has experienced visible and tangible change on LGBTI human rights issues in recent years with a marked move away from the homophobia expressed by then head of state, Sam Nujoma, following independence. LGBTI people continue to experience severe levels of marginalization and social exclusion but are also clearly poised to make significant advances in the coming few years if a coherent national strategy can be consolidated by existing LGBTI organizations and their allies. Some sectors (such as health) have made significantly more gains than others (such as religion and education), and there has been a sea change of evolving public attitudes towards non-normative sexualities and genders. This broad shifting in social attitudes is due to several factors, including the efforts of LGBTI organizations. Since the early successes of the Rainbow Project, there is support for strategizing for progressive social change for LGBTI people within broader civil society. Allies in key state posts could be successfully engaged with for substantial change.
Topic:
Human Rights, LGBT+, Exclusion, and Activism
Political Geography:
Africa and Namibia

2. Canaries in the Coal Mines: An analysis of spaces for LGBTI activism in southern Africa

Author:
Mark Gevisser
Publication Date:
12-2017
Content Type:
Special Report
Institution:
The Other Foundation
Abstract:
Like coal miners used caged canary birds, whose death was a warning sign of toxic gases in the mine tunnels, homosexual women and men, and transgender and intersex people in southern Africa are at the coalface of the multiple dangers in many of our societies today. How our societies treat lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people is symptomatic of the dangers facing all people who are excluded in some way or another in our societies, by those who have a grip on social, economic, and political power. To assess the depth and nature of social exclusion of LGBTI people across southern Africa and better understand how LGBTI groups are organizing to transform that reality, the Other Foundation commissioned studies of ten countries in southern Africa: Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia and Zimbabwe participated in the development of the studies.
Topic:
Human Rights, LGBT+, Exclusion, and Activism
Political Geography:
Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola, Zambia, Malawi, Swaziland, Namibia, Mauritius, Botswana, Lesotho, and Southern Africa