Uganda’s Anti-LGBTQI Bill, also known as the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Bill, has sparked international outrage since its passage by Uganda’s parliament in March 2023. The bill criminalizes identifying as LGBTQI and imposes severe penalties, including death, for LGBTQI individuals and allies [2].
The bill’s passage follows a history of anti-LGBTQI legislation in Uganda, including the nullification of a 2014 act that had toughened laws against the LGBTQI community [1]. The Sexual Offenses Bill, passed in 2021, also criminalized same-sex relationships and imposed a five-year jail term for those found guilty [6].
The 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Bill goes even further, imposing harsher penalties and targeting not only LGBTQI individuals but also allies and organizations that support them. The bill makes it illegal to promote or fund LGBTQI groups and activities [1]. The bill’s broad language gives authorities significant power to target LGBTQI individuals, who already face legal discrimination and mob violence in Uganda [2].
The bill’s passage has been met with condemnation from human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. These organizations have called on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to veto the legislation and protect the human rights of LGBTQI individuals [7].
The White House has also expressed grave concerns about the bill, with a spokesperson stating that it undermines basic human rights and may affect the US’s relationship with Uganda [2]. The bill’s impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS in Uganda has also been questioned, as it may prevent LGBTQI individuals from seeking necessary medical care and resources [8].
The bill has also been accompanied by violent actions against LGBTQI individuals in Uganda, with 44 people arrested at an LGBTQI shelter in May 2021 and charged with violating the country’s anti-LGBTQI policies [9].
Overall, Uganda’s Anti-LGBTQI Bill represents a severe assault on the human rights of LGBTQI individuals in Uganda and has been met with international condemnation and concern. It remains to be seen how the bill will be enforced and what its long-term impact will be on LGBTQI individuals and their allies in Uganda.