By Melanie Nathan, May 01, 2024, commissionermnathan@gmail.com,
Rwanda is a beautiful country and it does not expressly criminalize LGBTI people or so called "behaviors" in their current criminal codes. Yet the country is rife with anti-gay societal, and religious taboos and the resulting harms that flow from the country conditions climate. Whether Rwanda will criminalize LGBTI people in the future or not is a coin toss at this point in time. However, it is my contention that given the anti-LGBTI hostility prevalent in the region, and the depth of influence of surrounding countries, there is a good chance that the country could follow the path of Uganda, and the call of its President, Yoweri Museveni, for all African leaders to "save the world from homosexuality."
The one saving grace may be the fact that Rwanda is an extremely poor landlocked country that depends greatly on foreign aid and as such may be loathe to enact such laws. However, with that said, often the failure to enact or enforce anti homosexuality laws results in frustration by a majority populace which believes LGBTI people are Satanic and an abomination. This can result it heightened persecution and violence by state and non-state actors alike.
Here is a recent relevant report. It is important to note that given the extreme nature of taboo and resulting secrecy in a country like Rwanda, it is difficult to provide research and studies that fully exemplify the extensive nature of the conditions and the harms experienced.
THE REPORT
Please stay tuned for further analysis and updates ....
----
BY MELANIE NATHAN - COUNTRY CONDITIONS EXPERT WITNESS
CONTACT: Melanie Nathan, B.A. LL.B commissionermnathan@gmail.com
Melanie Nathan, Executive Director of African Human Rights Coalition is a qualified country of origin expert witness in the United States and global immigration courts, providing expert written country conditions reports and testimony for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, non-binary, LGBTQI + asylum seekers from African Countries, to include activists, allies and human rights defenders.
Melanie also consults multinational corporations regarding briefings and policy for operations and issue impacted by anti-homosexuality laws and country conditions. SEE HERE
Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea-Conakry, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Kenya, Niger, Nigeria, Malawi, Mauritania, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Togo, Tanzania, The Gambia, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe....
The beauty of Rwanda:
Comments