The Changing Landscape of LGBTQ+ Rights in Kenya and East Africa

Event details

Learning from Human Rights Defenders

Across East Africa, the landscape of LGBTQ+ rights has become increasingly precarious, marked by a surge in state-sanctioned hostility and draconian legislative efforts. Encouraged by regional trends such as Uganda’s 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act and Kenya’s proposed Family Protection Bill, political actors and conservative movements have increasingly weaponised anti-queer rhetoric, shrinking civic space and inciting public hostility. For LGBTQ+ individuals and communities, this environment has led to heightened physical insecurity, arbitrary arrests, barrier-ridden access to healthcare, and profound social isolation. In response, activists and human rights defenders are dynamically adapting to survive and resist.  

A CAHR Fellow and LGBTQ+ activist will speak about this landscape and share how activists navigate risks to safeguard queer lives and maintain the fight for equality across the region.