Africa, Op-ed The challenge of secularism and human rights in Africa

African countries have been facing various challenges since independence and one of these major dilemmas is defining the relationship between religion and politics. At independence, African countries inherited multiple faiths, political religions that seek to control state formation and structure.

This challenge is evident in the controversies that have trailed the introduction and implementation of sharia law in places like Nigeria and Somalia, the violent reactions to religious differences in Sudan and Central African Republic, the ongoing campaign against islamic extremism in Nigeria, Kenya, Mali, Cameroon and in the North of Africa, the heated debates and fierce opposition to the enactment of legislations and policies that protect the human rights of persons particularly those human rights mechanisms that are deemed by some segments of the religious establishment as violations of the dictates and dogmas of their faiths.

Drawing from my experiences growing up in Nigeria and years of keenly following the use of religion for political ends or the use of politics religious ends in countries across the region, this piece highlights how mixing of religion and politics undermines secularism and the realization of Freedom of Religion and Belief (FORB) and human rights broadly. I propose models, not a model of secularism because the situation of religion and politics in Africa is not homogenous and often differs from country to country, sometimes within countries to warrant recommending just a model of secularism that may apply to over 52 countries in the region.  Read more via IEET

Using saliva as lube for anal sex significantly increases risk of gonorrhea

Saliva use as a lubricant for anal sex is a common sexual practice in MSM, and it may play an important role in gonorrhoea transmission. Almost half of rectal gonorrhoea cases may be eliminated if MSM stopped using partner's saliva for anal sex. 

The cross-sectional survey was conducted among MSM attending Melbourne Sexual Health Centre between 31 July 2014 and 30 June 2015. Read more via NCBI 

West Africa: Mapping of LGBTQ organizations

Commissioned by a group of donors and activists, We exist: Mapping of LGBTQ organizations in West Africa is in an explanatory and participatory process to initiate the creation of a new funding mechanism led by LGBTQ activists West Africa. A group of funders and activists came together in 2013 to propose the creation of a bilingual fund managed and led by West African LGBTQ activists. The creation of such a fund would not only provide emerging leaders with the tools and spaces they need to build a more effective, inclusive movement for LGBTQ rights in West Africa, but also serve as a much-needed activist-owned platform for social change.

It would provide international donors with a safe and trusted mechanism to invest strategically in the region and to ensure their resources were reaching the grassroots with accountability. It would introduce a mechanism through which local strategies could be shared and regional strategies developed collectively, both proactively and in response to crises. Finally, it would provide a point of coordination in a region of Africa where both organizing and donor engagement on LGBTQ rights remains uncoordinated, uneven, and linguistically divided.

The work of setting up such a fund requires a deeper understanding of LGBTQ activism in this vast and diverse region, as well as of the past and current funding landscape and the additional support available for the emerging movement, especially in Francophone countries, where organizing is still largely underground. Therefore, an exploratory and participatory process was undertaken to enable activists, funders, and allies to map the state of LGBTQ organizing in West Africa and gather data to help determine the appropriate initial structure and priorities of the fund.   Read more via Qayn

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Africa: Four in five Africans don't want gay neighbours

Africans are generally tolerant of people of different ethnic groups and religions - but not of gays and lesbians, according to a new report from Afrobarometer. The continent-wide collaborative group released the report based on more than 50,000 interviews with members of the public in 33 countries across the continent.

"While Africa is often portrayed as a continent of ethnic and religious division and intolerance," the report says, "(our) findings show high degrees of acceptance of people from different ethnic groups, people of different religions, immigrants, and people living with HIV/AIDS...

But the report goes on to add: "A major exception to Africa's high tolerance is its strongly negative attitude toward homosexuals... Only 21 percent of all citizens across the 33 countries say they would like or would not mind having homosexual neighbours."

The lack of tolerance is not universal - the report says most people in Cape Verde, South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique would tolerate gay neighbours. More than four in 10 in Mauritius, São Tomé and Principe and Botswana think likewise. Nevertheless, there is "near unanimity" in rejecting homosexuality in Senegal, Guinea, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Niger. And in Algeria, Egypt and Sudan the issue was not even surveyed because Afrobarometer deemed the question "too sensitive". Read more via All Africa

Cameroon: It’s time to repeal our anti-gay law

The repeal of Cameroon’s anti-LGBT law is long overdue, says a member of the Human Rights Commission of the Cameroon Bar Association. In fact, says barrister Walter Atoh, “It is absolutely sickening and ridiculous that in the 21st century a homosexual act gets a person in Cameroon six months to five years imprisonment.”

Atoh Walter M. Tchemi made his appeal for reform last month during a workshop on human rights in Douala, Cameroon, that was organized by Cameroon’s Association for the Defense of the Rights of Homosexuals. In connection with that workshop, Atoh wrote an open letter to Cameroon President Paul Biya in which he argued that the country’s anti-gay law, Article 347 bis of the Cameroon Penal Code, violates the nation’s international treaty obligations.

Atoh noted that in 2013, when Cameroon’s human rights record was last reviewed by other nations at the U.N. Human Rights Council, 15 nations urged  Cameroon to improve its treatment of LGBTI people. Atoh suggested that it’s currently a good time for Biya to act to repeal Article 347 bis, at a moment when many people are urging him to run for re-election in 2018. Read more via 76 Crimes

US: North Carolina enacts law to allow LGBT discrimination

Republican leaders of the North Carolina General Assembly rushed through a bill to repeal all local LGBT non-discrimination ordinances in the state and ban transgender people from certain restrooms. Republicans had unveiled the legislation Wednesday morning, arguing the measure was needed to protect women from transgender people and sex predators. They were reacting to an ordinance in Charlotte — which was scheduled to take effect April 1 — that would protect LGBT people from discrimination in housing and public accommodations.

Despite the focus on Charlotte, the state’s preemption law does more than stymie that city’s ordinance. House Bill 2 mandates that state law supersedes all local ordinances concerning wages, employment, and public accommodations. It also restricts single-sex public restrooms and locker rooms in publicly run facilities to people of the same sex on their birth certificate.

In addition, it bans transgender students from school restrooms that correspond with their gender identity — teeing up a potential legal clash with the federal government, which has found civil rights laws ban transgender discrimination in schools. Read more via Buzzfeed

Canada: Worried about PrEP-resistant HIV? The Doctor who discovered it has some advice

Last week, David C. Knox, a physician and researcher based in Toronto, caused a small earthquake in the world of queer sexual health. He revealed the first known case of a patient contracting HIV despite confirmed adherence to PrEP—the HIV prevention strategy that currently comprises taking a daily pill (Truvada) that blocks the virus from taking hold after an exposure. Although PrEP has been proven to prevent the transmission of HIV with 99 percent efficacy, this particular case has been discussed as the unfortunate one percent: The highly uncommon strain of HIV the patient encountered showed various levels of resistance to many drugs, including those in Truvada.

But is the one percent figure—and the relative confidence it still affords—totally accurate? What variables are in play? And if the percentages are not as simple as they seem, how would that information help PrEP users take further control of their sexual health? I spoke with Knox to find out.  Read more via Slate 

Switzerland: Deferred Hep C therapy in MSM with HIV increases risk for mortality

Hepatitis C (HCV) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in people who live with HIV. In many countries, access to drugs to treat HCV is restricted to individuals with advanced liver disease. Using the Swiss HIV Cohort longitudinal study, the research goal was to estimate the long term impact of deferring HCV treatment for men who have sex with men (MSM) who are coinfected with HIV and often have multiple risk factors for liver disease progression.

The study found that early treatment of Hepatitis C could reduce replication of the disease, thereby reducing the risk of transmission. Additionally they determined that delayed treatment increased liver-related morbidity and mortality. Read more via Journal of Hepatology  

Instagram launches #VisibleMe channel dedicated to LGBT youth

Instagram has launched its first channel which is dedicated to LGBT youth. Users were encouraged to include the hashtag #VisibleMe in their posts to tell their story over the social media platform.

Raymond Braun, who organised the campaign, says he intends to shine a “spotlight” on diverse, compelling stories from LGBT youth.

“People are more likely to support the LGBTQ community when they know someone who identifies as LGBTQ, so I hope this project provides a platform and voice to young people, helping them feel empowered and supported.” 

 Read more via Gay Times
 

UK, Hong Kong, US: Pride and Prejudice 24-hour rolling event

'Pride and Prejudice,' challenged policymakers and industry leaders to rethink the future of the global LGBT movement and its impact on business. Attitudes towards LGBT people have changed with remarkable swiftness across much of the Western world. Gay marriage, a bellwether of progress towards equality, is increasingly being written into law. Businesses see competitive advantage in creating a reputation for inclusiveness. Yet global acceptance of LGBT people is not evenly distributed.

Worldwide, the situation ranges from mild intolerance to hostile rejection and violence. In many businesses, the “glass closet” remains a formidable barrier to advancement or authenticity. Discussion about same-sex relationships is controversial in many countries, but in a globalised world, gay rights are now a significant issue.

Participants in Hong Kong, London and New York will take part is a series of globally oriented conversations and tackle the thorny questions pertinent to their region, with a common question in mind: what is the cost of LGBT discrimination? Read more via the Economist