Founded on 12 September 2024 in Malawi by Shammah Solomon, Helping Educating Regarding Orientation (HERO) is a registered, community-based human rights advocacy organisation focusing on intersex persons, sexuality and orientation.

The context in Malawi for intersex people

According to HERO,

“Although sexual orientation and gender identity are integral to a person’s dignity, in Malawi there still exists much discrimination and abuse based on the sexual orientation and gender presentation of intersex people across the country. Several cases are reported every year that show that intersex people are physically assaulted, kidnapped, raped and even murdered. Along with the abuse and physical assault, intersex people in the country also face discrimination in their homes, workplaces, schools and colleges, housing and healthcare.Intersex children and adolescents often face bullying in school, do not always receive parental support at home and may even be thrown out of their homes by their parents. Some of the reasons that result in hatred towards intersex people include:

• Lack of understanding of intersex issues
• Religious practices
• Traditional beliefs
• Political beliefs

Some of the challenges that intersex people face include:

• Having had prior surgery without their consent
• Feelings of distrust
• Ongoing side effects
• Gendered treatment
• Increased cancer risk
• Gendered and discriminatory terms used
• Taking hormones

Intersex people often experience prejudice and discrimination because their bodies do not conform to other people’s expectations about sex and gender.”

Vision

A Malawi where all people regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, or expression feel seen, safe, valued, included, celebrated, equal and proud, and they can freely exercise their rights and enjoy the highest standard of health and well-being.

Mission

Raise awareness of intersex people’s existence by drawing attention to gender role construction and gender inequity and confronting interconnected “isms” (such as racism, sexism, heterosexism, etc.) To provide a safe and a supportive space for intersex people, empowering our diverse communities to realise their full potential everyday. Our services and activities are a lifetime for those in need.

Values

• Passion – creating peaceful and inclusive spaces for intersex people and communities
• Respect – celebrating what makes us unique and establish trust through inclusivity and
• recognition
• Empowerment – creating a space in which to grow and thrive
• Integrity – holding ourselves accountable to the highest standards, doing what is right for the community

Objectives

• To build and strengthen partnerships and alliances, understanding, solidarity and bridges between those working on human rights and intersex rights in particular, in Malawi and across the globe
• To defend intersex people in Malawi and support their families and communities against all forms of discrimination, exclusion, violence and hate crimes
• To promote intersex people’s sense of security and social cohesion
• To address and respond to the economic struggles, unemployment and other class-based challenges of intersex people
• To enhance collaboration and partnerships between CSOs, fellow human rights organisations and the Government of Malawi
• To take on systems and practices which criminalise or seek to reinforce the criminalisation of intersex people, human rights organisations, knowledge creation, sexual and cultural self-expression(s), and organising for change.

Focus areas / Projects

• Raising awareness about violence, discrimination and stigma towards intersex people
• Advancing and upholding human rights-compliant laws
• Supporting economic, cultural and societal inclusion of intersex people in Malawi
• Supporting intersex people who face unique challenges during crises, conflicts and acute threats to their life
• Strengthening national capability: contributing to having stronger, more resilient, inclusive and sustainable organisations with the technical and legal knowledge and skills
• To make progress on intersex equality and inclusion, to increase their reach, effectiveness, and impact
• Providing technical and legal support for human rights defenders, parliamentarians and government officials for the reform of laws and policies that discriminate against intersex people in Malawi
• Increasing awareness and understanding of intersex rights among duty bearers, diplomats, the media, development and humanitarian workers, religious organisations, the business sector, government, cultural traditional leadership, and amongst parents and families of intersex people in Malawi
• Organising workshops for intersex youth and adults in different regions
• Advocacy, influencing parliamentarians, CSOs and supporting donors, multilaterals and national government to commit to intersex rights through sharing and collating evidence and data to build more coherent approaches to intersex rights, build political will nationally and at regional levels to prioritise intersex rights and scope;
• Supporting influential thought leaders including faith leaders to advocate for local and global reform
• Learning, evidence and advice on understanding the real ‘live’ situation in varied contexts, sharing information on the practical and most effective approaches that work to improve the lives of intersex individuals in Malawi.

Contact

Email: heroitfhero@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +265 888 618 885
Facebook

Fondée à Maurice en juin 2023 par Sandrine Julien et Carou Labonne, OUT (Override Unequal Treatment) Moris œuvre auprès des personnes LGBTQ+ ainsi que des victimes et survivant·e·s de violences fondées sur le genre. L’action principale d’OUT Moris s’articule autour de l’information, de l’éducation, de la sensibilisation et du plaidoyer. L’organisation a été enregistrée la même année.

Founded in Mauritius in June 2023 by Sandrine Julien and Carou Labonne, OUT (Override Unequal Treatment) Moris works with LGBTQ+ persons and GBV victims and survivors. OUT Moris’ main work focuses on information, education, sensitisation and advocacy. The organisation was registered in the same year.

La vision / Vision

Une île Maurice libre, égalitaire et inclusive.

A free, equal and inclusive Mauritius.

Mission

Promouvoir les droits des personnes LGBTQ+ et prévenir la violence fondée sur le genre par le plaidoyer, l’éducation et la sensibilisation.

Promote the rights of LGBTQ+ people and prevent gender-based violence through advocacy, education, and awareness-raising.

Domaines prioritaires / Focus areas

• Série de vidéos éducatives – Droits humains, inclusion LGBTQIA+, VBG et éducation juridique
• Fear & Fairness – Enquête nationale sur la perception des personnes LGBTQIA+
• KIFER ? – Campagne de narration et de visibilité
• VUE – Série de documentaires et de dialogues communautaires
• Navigating Spaces – Projet de recherche sur les personnes LGBTQIA+
• Campagne pour l’égalité du mariage – Éducation du public et plaidoyer
• Initiative de suivi des discours de haine – Documentation et plaidoyer
• Action auprès des jeunes et de la communauté – Ateliers et séances de sensibilisation
• N’Joy for Love – Événement d’engagement communautaire et de sensibilisation du public

• Educational Video Series – Human rights, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, GBV, and legal literacy
• Fear & Fairness – National LGBTQIA+ perception survey
• KIFER? – Storytelling and visibility campaign
• VUE – Documentary and community dialogue series
• Navigating Spaces – LGBTQIA+ research project
• Marriage Equality Campaign – Public education and advocacy
• Hate Speech Monitoring Initiative – Documentation and advocacy
• Youth & Community Outreach – Workshops and awareness sessions
• N’Joy for Love – Community engagement and public awareness event

Programmes pour les personnes trans / Trans programmes

• Programme d’inclusion des personnes trans – Sensibilisation, plaidoyer et autonomisation de la communauté

• Trans Inclusion Programme – Awareness, advocacy, and community empowerment

Contacter / Contact

Website
+230 57184270
outmoris@gmail.com
Facebook
Instagram
TikTok
YouTube

Following the overturning of the Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2014, the Anti-Homosexuality Act, 2023 was signed into law on 26 May 2023.

The Act prescribes life imprisonment for sex between two people of the same biological sex and the death penalty for “aggravated homosexuality”. The latter offence includes “serial offenders”, same-sex rape, sex in a position of authority or procured by intimidation, sex with persons older than seventy-five, sex with the disabled and mentally ill, and homosexual acts committed by a person with a previous conviction of homosexuality. Further, under its provisions, the promotion (including normalisation) of homosexuality is punishable by imprisonment for up to 20 years and fines. Read more.

Tranz Network Uganda‘s Williams Apako speaks about the impact on trans people of this Act and the work that he has done:

Founded in Kenya in 2023 by Sheila Joy, Julie Troca, Brenda and other queer activists, Alliance Trans Shield works with vulnerable trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender diverse and queer individuals, with a particular focus on asylum seekers and refugees. The organisation’s work extends to intersex people and LGBTQIA+ communities with projects specifically addressing trans and intersex needs, centering those most at risk of marginalisation, displacement, and violence. Alliance Trans Shield’s main work is survivor‑led advocacy, digital empowerment, and psychosocial support. They provide safe spaces, amplify voices through storytelling, and build solidarity networks for trans and queer refugees and asylum seekers. They also engage in regional movement‑building, resisting digital violence, and advancing sexual and reproductive health rights. The organisation has not been able to register yet due to transphobic government policies.

Vision

A continent where trans, non‑binary, gender diverse, and intersex people live with dignity, visibility, and justice free from violence and discrimination, and empowered to shape narratives that drive transformative change.

Mission

To harness digital power and survivor leadership in advocating for and empowering trans, non‑binary, gender diverse, and queer refugees and asylum seekers. Through campaigns, storytelling, and community driven initiatives, the organisation transforms digital spaces into platforms of protection, solidarity, and liberation.

Goals/Objectives

• Provide safe housing, psychosocial support, and livelihood opportunities for queer and trans refugees.
• Build solidarity networks across Africa and the Diaspora.
• Resist digital violence and promote safer online participation.
• Strengthen movement building by connecting organisations and activists regionally and internationally.
• Advance sexual and reproductive health rights for trans and gender diverse communities.

Focus areas

• Digital advocacy and empowerment: Using online platforms to amplify survivor voices and resist digital violence.
• Protection and safe housing: Supporting displaced trans and queer refugees with shelter and psychosocial care.
• Movement building and solidarity: Strengthening networks across East Africa and the Diaspora.
• Sexual and reproductive health advocacy: Promoting access to inclusive health services for trans and gender diverse communities.
• Storytelling and documentation: Preserving histories and lived experiences through blogs, workshops, and collaborative archives.
• Intersectional advocacy: Addressing overlapping issues of displacement, disability, gender, and sexuality in our projects.

Contact

Email: alliancetransshield@gmail.com
+254748092583
LinkedIn
Substack

Founded in Kenya in 2023 by Atwine Emmalia, a transfeminist human rights defender, and other activists (names withheld for security reasons), Action for Trans Refugee Kenya (ATREK) came together in response to the urgent need for safety, support, advocacy and community-led services for transgender refugees, asylum seekers and other gender-diverse people living in Kenya. ATREK is a refugee-led, community-based organisation. ATREK primarily works with transgender and gender-diverse refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people living in Kenya. The organisation particularly supports transgender women and other gender-diverse people who experience homelessness, violence, discrimination, social exclusion, poverty, insecure housing and barriers to healthcare and essential services. The organisation’s work also supports LGBTQIA+ refugees and asylum seekers, including people living with HIV, human-rights defenders and other community members facing heightened vulnerability. ATREK aims to ensure that transgender and gender-diverse people are meaningfully included in community responses, advocacy and decision-making.

ATREK works to promote the safety, dignity, health, human rights, inclusion and self-determination of transgender and gender-diverse refugees and other vulnerable LGBTQIA+ people in Kenya. The organisation’s work includes providing or coordinating emergency support, safer-space and shelter assistance, psychosocial support, human-rights advocacy, health information and referrals, community education, capacity building and livelihood empowerment. They also work to raise awareness of the specific challenges faced by transgender refugees and to advocate for more inclusive and responsive services.

At present, the organisation is not formally registered in Kenya. ATREK continues to explore safe and appropriate pathways toward formal registration while carrying out our community work and supporting transgender refugees and other vulnerable LGBTQIA+ people.

Vision

A safe, inclusive and empowered community in which transgender and gender-diverse refugees and other LGBTQIA+ people live with dignity, equality, freedom, security and full access to their human rights and opportunities for sustainable development.

Mission

To build and strengthen a safe, inclusive and resilient community of transgender and gender-diverse refugees through emergency support, protection, advocacy, psychosocial well-being, access to health and human-rights information, skills development and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Goals/Objectives

• Promote the safety, dignity, rights and inclusion of transgender and gender-diverse refugees and asylum seekers.
• Support access to safer shelter, emergency assistance, food and other essential needs for community members facing crisis and homelessness.
• Improve access to transgender-inclusive healthcare, HIV-related services, sexual and reproductive health information and appropriate referrals.
• Provide psychosocial support, peer support and community-based responses to trauma, isolation and social exclusion.
• Strengthen awareness of human rights and advocate against discrimination, violence and exclusion.
• Build the leadership, knowledge, skills and capacity of transgender and gender-diverse refugees.
• Create sustainable livelihood and economic-empowerment opportunities that support independence and resilience.
• Build partnerships and strengthen collaboration with local, regional and international organisations working on refugee rights, LGBTQIA+ rights and social justice.
• Ensure that transgender refugees are meaningfully represented in discussions and decisions that affect their lives.

Focus Areas / Projects

• Safe Shelter and Emergency Protection: ATREK works to support transgender and gender-diverse refugees who are experiencing homelessness, unsafe housing, eviction, violence or displacement. The organisation seeks to provide safer accommodation, emergency shelter support, food, basic necessities and protection assistance. Safe shelter is especially important because many transgender refugees face discrimination and harassment when trying to access housing.
• Transgender Health, HIV and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights: ATREK supports access to accurate health information, transgender-inclusive healthcare, HIV prevention and treatment services, sexual and reproductive health information and referrals. The organisation also supports community members who face barriers to accessing medication, healthcare facilities and other essential health services.
• Psychosocial Support and Mental Well-Being: ATREK provides peer support, community connection and psychosocial support to transgender and gender-diverse refugees affected by trauma, violence, forced displacement, isolation, discrimination and insecurity. The organisation promotes healing, resilience, self-care and supportive community networks.
• Human Rights Advocacy and Protection: ATREK documents and raises awareness of the human-rights challenges affecting transgender refugees and advocate for safety, dignity, equality and inclusion. The organisation also participate in networking, learning and advocacy spaces to ensure that transgender and gender-diverse refugees are represented and their experiences are heard.
• Livelihoods and Economic Empowerment: ATREK promotes skills development and income-generating opportunities to strengthen economic independence and resilience. The organisation’s livelihood activities have included creative and artisan-based initiatives, sewing and bag-making, clothing and fashion-related work, and other community-led economic empowerment projects.
• Community Education and Capacity Building: ATREK provides information, training and capacity-building opportunities related to human rights, health, safety, leadership, community organising and self-reliance. The organisation supports transgender and gender-diverse community members to develop skills and participate meaningfully in leadership and advocacy.
• Community Building, Networking and Partnerships: ATREK works with community groups, service providers, human-rights organisations and other partners to strengthen support systems for transgender refugees. The organisation participates in learning and networking opportunities and collaborate on initiatives that promote inclusion, protection and community well-being

Contact

+254758646254
Email: actionfortransrefugeekenya@gmail.com
Instagram

Founded in South Africa in 2023 by Ayanda (Yaya) Mqakayi, Yaya M Voices works primarily with intersex people, LGBTQIA+ communities, young people, artists, activists, and communities impacted by silence, stigma, and bodily discrimination. The organisation’s work also speaks to families, especially mothers of intersex children, through education, storytelling, and visibility. Yaya M Voices focuses on documenting and archiving intersex lives, histories, and lived experiences through photography, film, storytelling, interviews, creative activism, and community engagement. Their work challenges medical erasure, social stigma, and invisibility while preserving intersex existence through visual and historical documentation.

Vision

A world where intersex people are fully recognised, respected, protected, and visible as part of natural human diversity, and where future generations grow up with access to truthful representation, history, dignity, and bodily autonomy.

Mission

To create and preserve intersex-led archives, stories, and visual histories through creative documentation and advocacy. The organisation aims to reclaim narrative ownership by ensuring that intersex people speak for themselves and are represented through their own lived realities.

Goals/Objectives

• To document and preserve intersex histories and lived experiences.
• To create visual and educational resources about intersex existence.
• To challenge stigma, discrimination, and non-consensual medical interventions on intersex bodies.
• To support visibility, healing, and self-representation within intersex communities.
• To build archives that future generations, researchers, families, and intersex people can access.
• To contribute toward social and legal change regarding bodily autonomy and intersex rights.

Projects

Current projects include:

• Being Intersex — a photographic body of work documenting intersex identity, embodiment, memory, scars, healing, and lived realities.
• Ride for Intersex Justice — an awareness and advocacy cycling campaign focused on ending non-consensual surgeries on intersex infants and children.
• Unseen Lives — a visual storytelling and documentary project focusing on hidden intersex experiences and social invisibility.
• Archival Documentation — collecting oral histories, photographs, interviews, and visual records related to intersex existence and African intersex narratives.
• Community Education and Visibility Work — creating conversations around bodily autonomy, identity, and intersex human rights through social media, exhibitions, public speaking, and collaborations.

Contact

yayamvoices@gmail.com
0680100962
Facebook
Instagram

Yaya M Voices in the media

Art

Watch our interview with Yaya, 22 May 2026

Following the unlawful arrest of two of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)‘s staff members on 19 May 2022, SMUG was banned from operating as an organisation by Uganda’s National Bureau for Non-Governmental Organizations on 3 August 2022. The Bureau argued that its ban followed SMUG’s failure to register as an NGO, but, according to SMUG’s Co-Executive Director, Dr Frank Mugisha, the Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) had refused to approve SMUG’s name as it was “undesirable and un-registrable” as a group advocating for LGBTQIA+ people. The banning of SMUG only weeks after the unlawful arrest of its staff points to further government harrassment of LGBTQIA+ rights groups in Uganda, a country with severely restrictive laws such as the Anti-Homosexuality Act. Dr Frank Mugisha called this ban

“a clear witch hunt rooted in systematic homophobia, fuelled by anti-gay and anti-gender movements.”

Read more about SMUG.

Following an attack and malicious destruction of the property of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG)‘s offices in Uganda on 19 May 2022, two staff members (referred to as DSB and HN for safety reasons) from SMUG reported the incident at the Ntinda Police Station in Kampala. Instead of receiving protection, they were accused of assault by the perpetrator of the destruction of SMUG’s offices, Elisha Mukisa, and the two were unjustly arrested and coerced into making incriminating statements. Mukisa is a self-proclaimed “ex-gay” crusader and product of anti-rights, anti-gender and anti-LGBTQ+ groups in Uganda.

The arrest of SMUG’s two staff members was followed by the public halting of the operations of SMUG by the NGO Bureau on 3 August 2022.

The case (Criminal Case Number 2518 of 2022) was finally won 3 years later, on 20 March 2025. One of the accused, DSB, said after the verdict acquitting them and their colleague:

“I’m so relieved and grateful to God almighty that the truth has finally come to light. This acquittal is a testament and a reminder that justice can prevail, even in the face of adversity.”

In a press release, an advocate in the case, Douglas Mawadri, said

“This case dragged on with baseless prosecution, multiple adjournments, and no real trial. Police must end arrests based on suspicion and hearsay. I hope those vindicated find healing from this ordeal.”

Dr Frank Mugisha, Co-Executive Director of SMUG, said the following:

“This case is a clear example of how Uganda’s hostile legal and political environment is weaponized against LGBTQ+ individuals. The fingerprints of anti-rights and anti-LGBTQ+ groups are all over this injustice where
victims seeking protection are instead criminalized. Let this victory be a symbol of our resistance, resilience, and hope.”

Fridah Mutesi, an advocate from Ubuntu Law and Justice Centre, said

“Litigating against hate and acceptance of SOGIESC issues will take longer, but we will win eventually. After representing our clients in court over thirty times, today the court agreed with our submissions, ruling that our clients had no case to answer, thereby acquitting them from criminal prosecution.”

The press release ended with SMUG saying

“While we acknowledge this legal victory, we remain concerned about the broader climate of persecution and criminalization facing LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations in Uganda. This case serves as a stark reminder that advocating for LGBTQ+ rights in Uganda remains a high-risk endeavor. The continued targeting of our community through misinformation, fabricated charges, arbitrary arrests, and legal harassment is an attempt to silence us.”

Attacks on SMUG and its staff did not begin in 2022, though, as SMUG founder, Victor Mukasa’s house was raided in 2005 and the friend staying at his house was arrested. Victor sued the Ugandan government and won the case in December 2008.

Read more about SMUG.

Founded in Nigeria in March 2022, Supporting Trans, Intersex, and Gender Non-Conforming People Initiative (STAG) was initially a peer-support, community organising and safe space network for trans, intersex, gender diverse and gender non-conforming people from around 2018/2019. STAG Initiative works with womxn, trans, intersex, gender-diverse, gender non-
conforming people, and other underserved LGBTQI+ community members in Nigeria. The network was begun by Kelsey Brookes, Claudia, and Gloria Henshaw (Juniper), and 16 other trans, intersex, gender diverse and LGBQ+ community members. The organisation’s work particularly centres people who experience multiple layers of exclusion, including trans women, trans men, intersex persons, gender-diverse persons, LGBTQI+ youth, survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), people living with HIV, sex workers, displaced persons, and community members facing homelessness, family rejection, violence, health exclusion, and legal insecurity.

STAG Initiative works at the intersection of advocacy, empowerment, safety, health justice, and human rights for womxn, trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming people in Nigeria. Their main work includes crisis response, safe housing support, gender-based violence response, legal and psychosocial referrals, SRHR and HIV-related advocacy, community documentation, leadership development, movement building, and policy advocacy. They also create safe spaces where community members can access care, information, support, and collective power. STAG was born out of a deep collective frustration with the violence and discrimination faced by the communities mentioned above, and their work is rooted in ensuring that no one is left behind or erased. STAG advocates for justice, provides safe spaces and services, supports GBV survivors, strengthens community-led crisis response, empowers marginalised communities, and challenges the systems that produce violence, exclusion, and discrimination. STAG was registered in 2025.

Vision

A society where everyone, including trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming people, can thrive and have full access to comprehensive healthcare, education, and empowerment, when they want it and how they want it. A future where no one has to hide who they are, explain their existence, or negotiate their dignity before accessing care, safety, education, or opportunity.

Co-founder, Kelsey Brookes says,

“As a visionary leader, I strive to create inclusive spaces and drive systemic change to ensure that every individual, regardless of gender identity, can thrive and be treated with dignity and respect.”

Source: https://www.vitalvoices.org/fellow/kingsley-kalu/

Mission

To create an inclusive society where anyone, regardless of gender identity, can live freely and safely.

Goals/Objectives

• Promote the safety, dignity, and human rights of trans, intersex, gender-diverse, gender non- conforming people, and other underserved LGBTQI+ communities in Nigeria.
• Provide crisis response, safe housing, psychosocial support, legal referrals, and survivor-centred care for community members facing violence, homelessness, family rejection, or insecurity.
• Advance access to inclusive healthcare, SRHR services, HIV prevention, treatment literacy, and gender-affirming information and support.
• Strengthen community leadership, especially among trans, intersex, and gender-diverse young people.
• Document community experiences, rights violations, movement histories, and evidence for advocacy and policy change.
• Build solidarity across generations so that older and younger trans, intersex, and gender-diverse activists can share knowledge, context, experience, strategies, and skills.
• Advocate for laws, policies, systems, and services that respect bodily autonomy, inclusion, safety, and justice.

Focus areas

• Crisis Response and Safe Housing — STAG supports trans, intersex, gender-diverse, gender non-conforming, and LGBTQI+ community members experiencing violence, homelessness, family rejection, threats, forced displacement, or urgent safety needs. This includes safe housing, emergency relocation support, case management, and referral coordination.
• Gender-Based Violence and Legal Protection — STAG provides survivor-centred support for community members affected by gender-based violence, intimate partner violence, blackmail, family violence, public harassment, and rights violations. The organisation also supports referrals to legal, psychosocial, and protection services.
• SRHR, HIV, and Health Justice — STAG advocates for access to inclusive healthcare, HIV services, SRHR information, treatment literacy, mental health support, and gender-affirming care information. Their work responds to the
  exclusion of trans, intersex, and gender-diverse people from mainstream health systems.
• Trans and Intersex Movement Building — STAG creates safe spaces for leadership development, peer learning, advocacy training, and community mobilisation. The organisation is particularly interested in strengthening intergenerational learning within the trans and intersex movement, because of the widening gap between older and younger activists. This gap is leading to the loss of knowledge, political context, lived experience, advocacy skills, and movement memory.
• Documentation, Research, and Data-Driven Advocacy — STAG documents lived realities, human rights violations, health access barriers, and community histories. The organisation uses evidence to support advocacy, policy engagement, donor engagement, and movement learning.
• Climate Justice and Social Protection — STAG integrates gender and climate justice by recognising how crisis, flooding, displacement, poverty, and environmental insecurity affect trans, intersex, gender-diverse, and other
  marginalised communities.
• Economic Empowerment and Education — STAG supports access to skills, education, empowerment opportunities, and leadership pathways for underserved community members.

Contact

Email: info@staginitiative.org / tgnpn.ng@gmail.com
+2348137760417
Facebook
Instagram
X (Twitter)
TikTok
YouTube

From 27–31 August 2021, Pan Africa ILGA hosted its 5th Regional LGBTQIA+ Conference. Titled ‘Reclaiming Our Past, Defining Our Future’, the Conference hosted more than 500 delegates and over 100 speakers from across the continent.

The Conference held a variety of Pre-Conferences, including an Intersex Pre-Conference. Our content contributor, Delphine Barigye, who was also the moderator for the Pre-Conference, wrote a report about the summaries from the Intersex Pre-Conference.

Report: The Intersex Pre-Conference at the Virtual Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) Regional Conference, 2021

“Our past is painful to reclaim, but as intersex persons we will definitely define our future.”

These words from a keynote speaker at the Intersex Pre-Conference echoed through the hearts of the attendees, setting the tone for a powerful discussion on intersex resilience in Africa.

The 2021 Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) 5^th Regional Conference, under the theme of “Reclaiming Our Past: Defining Our Future”, held virtually from August 27 to 31, housed the Intersex Pre-Conference on the 27^th. Initially, the Conference was planned to take place in Ghana in 2020, but was rescheduled and held virtually in 2021 due to the COVID 19 pandemic. The Intersex Pre-Conference, organised by the Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sex Development (SIPD), brought together over 20 intersex activists. The panel included renowned intersex advocates Mphatso Sakala, Ronnie Zuze, Sammie MacJessie and Obioma Chukwuike. Their contributions to the discussion revealed not only challenges but also remarkable resilience and innovation in the face of a global crisis.

The vision beyond the African Intersex Movement (AIM)’s inception

Mphatso Sakala from the Intersex Society of Zimbabwe (ISSZ), shared insights of the future of the African Intersex Movement (AIM). AIM was initiated to increase individual and organisational capacity of African intersex activists and organisations, not only to develop regional strategies and address human rights violations of intersex persons in Africa, but to also increase representation of African intersex persons in international forums. Mphatso noted that,

“AIM was started to put in place a strategic framework for organisational response to health and human rights violations faced by intersex people in Africa, develop capacity and structures to support and sustain positive change for intersex people and mobilise support for the movement.

The aim is to achieve contextual change in relation to African intersex movement building. It is ultimately hoped that AIM will provide a working approach for African intersex leaders pursuing similar goals, while addressing negative cultural norms, the livelihood needs of intersex persons and the need to legally recognise the existence of intersex persons across all African countries.”

AIM strategically laid out 5 goals and action points to achieve these aims with a clearly defined vision of:

“An African society that recognises, respects and protects the rights, autonomy and agency of intersex persons.”

Mental health and the intersex journey

Ronnie Zuze, the founder of Intersex Community of Zimbabwe (ICoZ) spoke about intersex people and their mental health. Many intersex persons face mental health challenges due to the unique challenges posed not only by the pressure from society to conform to the binary gender norms, but by identity struggles, non-consensual surgeries, stigma and discrimination in major aspects of life like health, education, employment and sports. Often, these issues are overlooked and yet take a toll on a person’s mental health, eventually leading to anxiety, depression or even trauma. The need to focus on the intersex individuals’ mental health is greater than ever before. The Pre-Conference concluded that efforts should be directed to promoting healing, resilience, and empowerment of individuals to reclaim their past.

Ripple effects of COVID 19 on intersex funding

Sammie MacJessie from the Ivy Foundation in Malawi, the Coordinator of AIM, and Obioma Chukwuike from Intersex Nigeria, the Board Chairperson of AIM, shared insights about the effects of inadequate funding and COVID 19 on intersex organising in Africa, especially in their home countries, Malawi and Nigeria respectively. They shared that the impact of COVID 19 on the intersex community was profound. The panelists spoke about how the pandemic changed their lives and how it put strain on their work with community members, especially in relation to access to healthcare and support services. One panelist highlighted that,

“It is already difficult enough to try and get inclusive and non-discriminatory healthcare as it is in a free world. COVID greatly increased this and many of us were left in a world without essential care.”

The other challenges discussed ranged from disrupted advocacy and awareness campaigns, where vital in-person interactions were no longer possible due social distancing, financial challenges and the difficulty of keeping up with digital transformation. While the shift to digital communication posed challenges, especially in local spaces where intersex individuals hardly even own a smart phone, it opened up a new era where intersex organising would go worldwide.

Learnings from the Pre-Conference

• The intersex community is still mainly funded by the same donors who are stretched and not focused on the distinct needs of the intersex community.
• The still prevailing lack of awareness about intersex people and their lives has only worsened the effects of the pandemic on intersex persons, including their mental health.
• The focus on intersectionality in LGBTIQ+ rights advocacy work has also contributed to the invisibility of intersex people.
• The next step for AIM would be to establish a secretariat for better coordination, visibility and representation.

Call to action

• Funders need to engage with intersex organisations and support them in the struggle for visibility, increase their capacity and seriously consider mental health as a funding criteria.
• National governments have to address the concerns raised by the intersex movement and create adequate solutions in direct collaboration with intersex representatives and organisations.
• Human rights organisations need to contribute to building bridges with intersex organisations and build a basis for mutual support and meaningful engagement.
• Community leaders should engage in intersex education to dispel misconceptions and stigma surrounding intersex people and their families.
• Traditional and religious leaders need to stop harmful cultural practices, such as tradition-led mutilations and killings of intersex people.
• National, regional and international human rights institutions have to take intersex issues on board and provide visibility to intersex people and the violations they face.

Report written by our content contributor, Delphine Barigye.

Founded in Namibia in March 2021 by Miss Mavis Dash, Gigi Has Arrived and Mo’Nick Critique, Drag Night Namibia is an LGBTQI+ arts and community organisation that uses drag, performance, music, fashion, and ballroom culture as tools for visibility, empowerment, advocacy, and social inclusion. The organisation creates safer and affirming spaces for queer creatives and community members through live events, workshops, artistic development programmes, and regional collaborations. The organisation works with queers, allies and cisgender heterosexual Namibians and World Citizens, and the movable middle.

Its core work includes:

• Producing drag shows, ballroom/vogue events, and queer-centred cultural programming;
• Supporting emerging LGBTQI+ performers, artists, DJs, designers, and entertainers through mentorship and performance opportunities;
• Using artistic activism to challenge discrimination and increase LGBTQI+ visibility in Namibia and across Southern Africa;
• Facilitating workshops and skills-development initiatives in areas such as performance, makeup artistry, fashion, MCing, and creative production;
• Building regional and international partnerships that strengthen queer artistic exchange and transnational solidarity;
• Creating community-driven platforms that promote dignity, inclusion, mental wellbeing, and creative expression for LGBTQI+ individuals.

Through projects such as Drag & Vogue Beyond Borders, Drag Night Namibia has also expanded its work into regional advocacy, international cultural exchange, and cross-border collaboration, positioning drag and ballroom culture as important tools for storytelling, resistance, and community-building in Africa.

The organisation is registered in Namibia and is currently led by Rodelio Lewis aka Miss Mavis Dash, Founder and Co-CEO, and Lize Ehlers aka DJ Rise Elders Co-CEO & Technical Director Drag Night Namibia.

Vision

The vision of Drag Night Namibia is to build a vibrant, inclusive, and empowered society where LGBTQI+ individuals, especially queer artists and performers, are free to express themselves safely, authentically, and creatively without fear of discrimination or exclusion. The organisation envisions a Namibia, and broader African creative landscape where drag, ballroom, and queer artistic expression are recognised as powerful forms of culture, storytelling, activism, and community healing. Through artistic excellence, visibility, and regional collaboration, Drag Night Namibia aims to create sustainable platforms that uplift LGBTQI+ voices, celebrate diversity, and inspire social change across communities and borders.

Mission

The mission of Drag Night Namibia is to create safe, inclusive, and empowering platforms for LGBTQI+ individuals through drag, ballroom, music, fashion, and performance arts, while advancing visibility, dignity, community wellbeing, and artistic freedom in Namibia and beyond. A central part of the organisation’s mission is to expand economic access and inclusion for queer performers and creatives who have historically faced discrimination, unemployment, exclusion, and limited professional opportunities. Drag Night Namibia works to ensure that artists are not only celebrated culturally, but are also able to access paid performance opportunities, professional development, mentorship, regional collaborations, and sustainable creative income streams.

Through events, workshops, partnerships, productions, and advocacy initiatives, the organisation seeks to:

• Develop and promote LGBTQI+ talent;
• Create pathways toward financial empowerment within the creative industry;
• Support entrepreneurship and artistic careers for queer creatives;
• Build sustainable platforms where performers are compensated fairly and professionally;
• Strengthen representation and ownership of queer African narratives within arts and culture spaces.

By combining artistic activism with economic empowerment, Drag Night Namibia aims to contribute toward a more inclusive creative economy where LGBTQI+ performers can thrive both socially and financially.

Main objectives

The goals and objectives of Drag Night Namibia are centred around artistic empowerment, LGBTQI+ visibility, community development, and economic inclusion through creative expression and performance culture.

Key goals and objectives include:

1. To create safe and inclusive spaces
   Establish affirming environments where LGBTQI+ individuals can freely express themselves through drag, ballroom, music, fashion, and performance arts without fear of discrimination or exclusion.
2. To increase LGBTQI+ visibility and representation
   Promote positive and authentic representation of queer identities in Namibia and across Africa through public performances, cultural programming, media engagement, and artistic activism.
3. To support artistic and professional development
   Provide mentorship, training, workshops, and performance opportunities that strengthen the creative, technical, and leadership skills of emerging and established queer artists.
4. To advance economic empowerment for performers
   Create pathways for LGBTQI+ creatives to access paid opportunities, sustainable income streams, entrepreneurship, and professional growth within the arts and entertainment industries.
5. To strengthen drag and ballroom culture in Namibia
   Preserve, develop, and celebrate drag and ballroom as important forms of African queer cultural expression, storytelling, and community-building.
6. To build regional and international partnerships
   Foster collaborations with organisations, festivals, activists, artists, and cultural institutions that support cross-border solidarity, exchange, and advocacy.
7. To use art as a tool for advocacy and social change
   Challenge stigma, discrimination, gender-based exclusion, and harmful social narratives through creative expression, dialogue, and community engagement.
8. To empower LGBTQI+ youth and marginalised communities
   Support young queer people and vulnerable creatives by creating opportunities for participation, leadership, confidence-building, and belonging within creative spaces.
9. To contribute toward a more inclusive creative industry
   Advocate for greater access, recognition, and fair treatment of LGBTQI+ artists within Namibia’s cultural, entertainment, and creative sectors.
10. To create sustainable community-driven programming
    Develop long-term artistic and community initiatives that continue to uplift queer voices, strengthen networks, and promote collective wellbeing across Namibia and the region.

Focus areas

The focus and thematic areas of Drag Night Namibia centre on LGBTQI+ visibility, artistic activism, creative empowerment, community wellbeing, and economic inclusion through drag, ballroom, music, fashion, and performance culture.

1. Drag and Performance Arts Development

Drag Night Namibia creates platforms for drag artists, performers, DJs, vocalists, and entertainers to showcase and develop their talents through live productions, competitions, showcases, and mentorship initiatives. These programmes strengthen professional opportunities for LGBTQI+ creatives while increasing queer representation within Namibia’s arts sector.

2. Ballroom and Vogue Culture

The organisation actively supports the growth of ballroom and vogue culture in Namibia by creating learning spaces, performance opportunities, workshops, and regional exchange programmes connected to the African ballroom community. This work promotes self-expression, confidence-building, identity affirmation, and community solidarity among queer youth and performers.

3. LGBTQI+ Visibility and Advocacy

Through artistic activism, public engagement, storytelling, and cultural programming, Drag Night Namibia challenges discrimination and promotes greater social inclusion for LGBTQI+ individuals. Performances and public events are used as tools for dialogue, awareness-building, and human rights advocacy.

4. Economic Empowerment and Creative Inclusion

A major focus area is creating economic access for LGBTQI+ performers and creatives who often face barriers to employment and financial stability. The organisation provides paid performance opportunities, skills development, mentorship, production experience, and access to regional and international artistic networks.

5. Youth Development and Skills Training

Drag Night Namibia facilitates workshops and educational programmes focused on MCing, makeup artistry, lip-sync performance, fashion design, stagecraft, music, branding, and creative entrepreneurship. These initiatives help emerging artists develop both artistic and professional skills.

6. Regional and International Cultural Exchange

Through projects such as Drag & Vogue Beyond Borders, the organisation builds partnerships with regional and international LGBTQI+ organisations, festivals, artists, and advocacy spaces. These collaborations strengthen transnational solidarity and increase visibility for Namibian queer creatives globally.

Trans and gender-diverse inclusion

Drag Night Namibia is deeply committed to creating affirming and empowering spaces for trans and gender-diverse performers within Namibia’s LGBTQI+ community. Trans artists continue to play a central role in the organisation’s programming, leadership, and visibility efforts.

Notable trans and gender-diverse performers within the Drag Night Namibia community include Coco, Miss Diamond and Queen Cleopatra. These artists have contributed significantly to the growth of drag and ballroom culture in Namibia through performance, mentorship, representation, and community engagement. Their participation within Drag Night Namibia initiatives has helped increase visibility for trans performers while challenging stigma and exclusion faced by gender-diverse individuals in both artistic and public spaces.

The organisation continues to prioritise inclusive participation, safer creative spaces, leadership opportunities, and professional development pathways for trans performers as part of its broader commitment to dignity, representation, and equality within the arts and entertainment industry.

Contact

dragnightnam@gmail.com
Facebook
Instagram

Watch our interview with Drag Night Namibia founders, Rodelio Lewis aka Miss Mavis Dash, Founder and Co-CEO, and Lize Ehlers aka DJ Rise Elders, 12 June

Drag Night Namibia in the media

Founded in March 2021 by a trans man, Donwell Mpofu, Trans Guardians Alliance (TGA) is a South African organisation working with LGBTQIA+ migrants and asylum seekers, with a particular focus on trans individuals and LGBTQIA+ parents and their children. The organisation provides holistic support services for displaced LGBTQIA+ migrants, including emergency shelter, access to healthcare and documentation, psychosocial support, early childhood education, and advocacy for inclusive migration and protection frameworks. TGA was registered in October 2021 as a non-profit organisation.

Vision

A South Africa where displaced LGBTQIA+ people can live freely, safely, and with dignity, enjoying equal access to rights, services, and opportunities.

Mission

To protect, support, and empower displaced LGBTQIA+ communities through direct services, advocacy, and the creation of safe, affirming spaces for healing, growth, and leadership.

Goals/Objectives

• Provide life-saving shelter and basic support to displaced LGBTQIA+ individuals.
• Advocate for inclusive migration policies and practices.
• Strengthen the capacity and visibility of trans and queer refugees.
• Support LGBTQIA+ parents and children through inclusive early childhood education and family-centred services.

Focus Areas

• Emergency shelter and support services.
• Early childhood education (Talent Smufferttes Day Care Center).
• Legal and documentation assistance.
• Mental health and psychosocial support.
• Capacity building and leadership development.
• Migration and asylum advocacy.

Contact

Email: transguardiansalliance@gmail.com / donwellmpofu@gmail.com.
+27 71 974 9574
Facebook

Watch our interview with Donwell Mpofu, 3 July 2026

Association Mère Nature a été fondée sur 25 septembre 2020 au Bénin de AKPLONGBE Adebola Codjo (Présidente de l’Association), HOUNKPATIN Alain, KOUASSI AKLOMGBE Ablavi Armandine et ZANNOU Sigilbert. Le principal travail de Mère Nature est la promotion de l’inclusion, de l’égalité et des droits humains, notamment les droits en santé sexuelle et reproductive, en faveur des minorités de sexe et de genre adeptes de religions traditionnelles au Bénin. L’association travaille principalement avec les minorités de sexe et de genre, les personnes LGBTQ+, les adeptes de religions traditionnelles et/ou endogènes, et les jeunes issus de milieux vulnérables appartenant à ces communautés.

L’association œuvre également pour la protection de la vie humaine, ainsi que pour la préservation de la nature végétale et animale, en promouvant une approche respectueuse de l’environnement et des savoirs traditionnels liés à la protection des écosystèmes. L’association agit à travers la sensibilisation, le plaidoyer, l’accompagnement psychosocial, la documentation et le renforcement des capacités communautaires. L’association Mère Nature n’est pas encore officiellement enregistrée auprès des autorités administratives compétentes du Bénin. La procédure d’enregistrement est en cours de préparation.

Founded in Benin on the 25th of September 2020 by Adébola Codjo Akplongbe (the organisation’s President), Alain Hounkpatin, Ablavi Armandine Kouassi Aklomgbe and Sigilbert Zannou, Mother Nature Association’s work focuses on promoting inclusion, equality, and human rights, particularly sexual and reproductive health rights, for gender minorities who practice traditional religions in Benin. The organisation works primarily with young people from vulnerable backgrounds belonging to these communities, sexual and gender minorities, LGBTQ+ individuals, and followers of traditional and/or indigenous religions.

The organisation also works to protect human life and preserve plant and animal life by promoting an approach that respects the environment and traditional knowledge related to ecosystem protection. The organisation operates through awareness-raising, advocacy, psychosocial support, documentation, and community capacity building. The Mother Nature association is not yet officially registered with the competent administrative authorities of Benin. The registration procedure is currently being prepared.

La vision / Vision

La vision de Mère Nature est de construire une société béninoise inclusive, équitable et respectueuse de la diversité, où les minorités de sexe et de genre vivant leur identité au sein des traditions culturelles et religieuses peuvent s’épanouir librement, dignement et sans discrimination. Elle aspire également à une société où la protection de la vie humaine et de l’environnement (faune et flore) constitue un pilier fondamental du développement durable et communautaire.

Mother Nature’s vision is to build an inclusive, equitable, and diversity-respecting Beninese society where sexual and gender minorities, living their identities within cultural and religious traditions, can flourish freely, with dignity, and without discrimination. It also aspires to a society where the protection of human life and the environment (flora and fauna) is a fundamental pillar of sustainable and community development.

Mission

La mission de Mère Nature est de promouvoir les droits humains, la santé, la dignité et le bien-être mental des minorités de sexe et de genre adeptes de religions traditionnelles et/ou endogènes au Bénin, à travers des actions de sensibilisation, de plaidoyer, de soutien communautaire et de renforcement des capacités. Elle intègre également dans sa mission la promotion de la protection de la vie humaine, de la nature végétale et animale, en lien avec les valeurs culturelles et spirituelles endogènes.

Mother Nature’s mission is to promote the human rights, health, dignity, and mental well-being of sexual and gender minorities who adhere to traditional and/or indigenous religions in Benin, through awareness-raising, advocacy, community support, and capacity building. Its mission also includes promoting the protection of human life, plant and animal life, in accordance with indigenous cultural and spiritual values.

Objectifs / Objectives

L’association poursuit notamment les objectifs suivants :

• Sensibiliser et éduquer sur les réalités et droits des minorités de sexe et de genre ;
• Lutter contre toutes formes de discrimination, de violence et d’exclusion ;
• Offrir un espace sûr d’écoute, de dialogue et d’accompagnement ;
• Promouvoir le bien-être mental et l’expression artistique comme outils de résilience ;
• Documenter et valoriser les expériences des communautés concernées ;
• Développer des partenariats stratégiques pour renforcer l’autonomisation des membres.
• Promouvoir la protection de la vie humaine ainsi que la préservation de la nature végétale et animale

The association pursues the following objectives:

• To raise awareness and educate about the realities and rights of sexual and gender minorities;
• To combat all forms of discrimination, violence, and exclusion;
• To offer a safe space for listening, dialogue, and support;
• To promote mental well-being and artistic expression as tools for resilience;
• To document and celebrate the experiences of the communities concerned;
• To develop strategic partnerships to strengthen the empowerment of members.
• To promote the protection of human life and the preservation of plant and animal life.

Axes thématiques / Thematic areas

• Axe 1 : Droits humains et plaidoyer
  Actions de défense des droits, campagnes de sensibilisation, dialogue communautaire et engagement institutionnel.
• Axe 2 : Santé mentale et bien-être
  Accompagnement psychosocial, activités artistiques et culturelles, espaces sécurisés d’expression et de soutien.
• Axe 3 : Documentation et recherche communautaire
  Collecte de témoignages, archivage, publications, mise en lumière des réalités vécues.
• Axe 4 : Renforcement des capacités et autonomisation
  Formations, développement du leadership communautaire, partenariats locaux et internationaux.
• Axe 5 : Protection de la vie et de l’environnement
  Initiatives de sensibilisation à la protection de la vie humaine, à la préservation de la biodiversité, aux pratiques écologiques responsables et à la valorisation des savoirs traditionnels liés à la nature.

• Axis 1: Human Rights and Advocacy
  Rights advocacy, awareness campaigns, community dialogue, and institutional engagement.
• Axis 2: Mental Health and Well-being
  Psychosocial support, artistic and cultural activities, safe spaces for expression and support.
• Axis 3: Documentation and Community Research
  Collecting testimonies, archiving, publishing, and highlighting lived realities.
• Axis 4: Capacity Building and Empowerment
  Training, community leadership development, and local and international partnerships.
• Axis 5: Protection of Life and the Environment
  Awareness-raising initiatives on the protection of human life, the preservation of biodiversity, responsible ecological practices, and the valuing of traditional knowledge related to nature.

Contactez-nous / Contact

Email: merenature022@gmail.com
 (229) 01 96 24 94 56 / (229) 01 97 60 40 98
Facebook

Founded in Kampala, Uganda as a grassroots coalition by John Grace and others on the 1st of August 2020, Uganda Minority Shelters Consortium (UMSC) specifically prioritises and centres trans and gender diverse (TGD) youth who have been disproportionately targeted and driven underground by recent legislation (e.g. Anti-Homosexuality Act). While UMSC’s work is deeply rooted in TGD survival, their mandate encompasses the broader LGBTQ+ community, including LGBT+ sex workers, LGBT+ HRDs and LGBT+ PLHIV (people living with HIV). The organisation also focuses on LGBT+ individuals with intersecting vulnerabilities, such as displaced TGD youth and those living with disabilities. UMSC operates as a coalition of over 25 decentralised grassroots safe spaces and community-based protection organisations. Because TGD individuals are often the most visibly targeted within the broader LGBTQ+ umbrella, UMSC’s main work involves providing highly secure emergency housing, physical protection, and trauma-informed psychosocial care. The organisation utilises Peer Health Navigators to bypass hostile public clinics—where TGD persons frequently face intentional misgendering and abuse—to safely link them to life-saving HIV/AIDS services. The organisation is officially registered and holds formal national-level public health legitimacy, as it is officially accredited by the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC).

Vision

A Uganda where marginalised communities, centring trans and gender-diverse youth, achieve true independence and self-determination. A future where TGD individuals are completely empowered to live with absolute bodily autonomy, build self-sustaining livelihoods, and access healthcare entirely on their own terms—free from systemic violence, arbitrary eviction, and reliance on hostile institutions.

Mission

To cultivate the absolute independence, resilience, and self-determination of marginalised communities—centring LGB, trans and gender-diverse (TGD) youth, sex workers, and individuals living with HIV—by building a self-sustaining, decentralised network of safe spaces across Uganda. UMSC is committed to breaking cycles of reliance on hostile institutions by empowering vulnerable populations with independent, stigma-free HIV/AIDS service linkages, trauma-informed psychosocial support, and the tools required to defend their own human rights and bodily autonomy.

Goals/Objectives

• To facilitate the transition of displaced and unhoused LGB, trans and gender-diverse (TGD) youth from precarious survival to enduring independence by maintaining protected, decentralised shelter networks that provide the essential foundation for reclaiming their autonomous livelihoods.
• To develop community-led, stigma-free health linkage infrastructures that empower LGB, TGD individuals overcoming homelessness to oversee their HIV/AIDS care and holistic health with absolute self-determination, effectively ending dependency on hostile or exclusionary public health systems.
• To expand localised, peer-driven psychosocial frameworks—such as our Resilience Circles—designed to dismantle the trauma of displacement and internalised shame, providing our community members with the mental fortitude necessary to achieve total structural and personal independence.

Focus areas

• UMSC’s core thematic areas are Emergency Housing and Transitional Shelter, HIV/AIDS Health Autonomy, Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS), and Structural Independence.
• For trans and gender-diverse (TGD) community members specifically, their projects are meticulously designed to disrupt the pipeline from AHA-related eviction to chronic homelessness. The organisation operates specialised safe spaces that provide immediate physical sanctuary for displaced TGD youth. From this secure foundation, they run trauma-informed “Resilience Circles” tailored to help TGD individuals process the acute trauma of homelessness and systemic violence, rebuilding their mental resilience.
• Furthermore, to ensure TGD members can safely transition to full independence, UMSC’s Peer Health Navigators facilitates secure, peer-led health linkages. The organisation bypasses hostile public clinics—where TGD persons frequently face intentional misgendering, blackmail, and service denial—by physically escorting them to trusted, non-hostile care centres or distributing underground HIV self-testing kits. 
• Their ultimate project focus is equipping formerly unhoused TGD youth with the physical safety, mental resilience, and health autonomy they need to permanently exit crisis survival and rebuild self-sustaining, independent lives.

Contact

Website
Email: minorityshelters@gmail.com  / umsc@minorityshelter.org 
Facebook
Instagram
X (Twitter)

Watch our interview with co-founder, John Grace, 14 August 2026

UMSC documentaries

UMSC in the media

• PlanetRomeo Foundation: https://www.planetromeofoundation.org/umsc; 
• Global Press Journal’s feature “Shelters in Uganda Unite to Safely House LGBTQ People” https://globalpressjournal.com/africa/uganda/network-hope-shelters-uganda-unite-safely-house-lgbtq-people; 
• 76Crimes’ article “Five homeless shelters welcome LGBTQ Ugandans” https://76crimes.com/2020/10/23/five-homeless-shelters-welcome-lgbtq-ugandans; 
• GoFundMe campaign story “Donate To Uganda’s LGBT Shelters” https://www.gofundme.com/f/minorityshelters; 
• New York Times piece https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/world/africa/usaid-africa-uganda-lgbtq.html; 
• LGBTQ groups question US health agreements with African countries — Washington Blade, February 2026
• LGBTQ Ugandans targeted ahead of country’s elections — Washington Blade, January 2026
• Mpox outbreak in Africa declared global health emergency — Washington Blade, August 2024
• Ugandan Constitutional Court to consider challenge to Anti-Homosexuality Act — Washington Blade, December 2023
• Uganda Minority Shelters Consortium — Official Website
• How Police and Criminals Use Uganda’s Antigay Law to Find Blackmail Targets — Wall Street Journal

In June 2020 the Ugandan LGBTQIA+ refugees in the Kakuma Refugee Camp reached out to activist Victor Mukasa, saying

“Victor, we are dying, we are dying in the refugee camp”.

Not much had changed since the last time Victor had worked with the refugees in 2014, even though global activists and organisations had become involved. By 2020 Victor had established The Victor Mukasa Podcast and Talk Show and decided to feature the plight of the refugees in a live conversation.

The Kuchus (a Swahili word roughly translating to “queer”, adopted by the Ugandan LGBTQIA+ refugees in the Camp) needed food, bedding, medicines — everything. Victor started fundraising campaigns again using crowdfunding and approached targeted donors. Close to $70,000 USD was raised.

The other thing Victor did was to mobilise resources for psychosocial support, which was a growing need due to the trauma caused by the continuous attacks and previous attacks. Victor mobilised psychologists from the US, Europe, Australia and Israel who would counsel online on a pro-bono basis to support the community members. They would themselves come up with a schedule for sessions and each therapist could indicate how many hours per week they could donate to counsel the Kuchu refugees. There was a team of about 15 therapists. Attention was also given to trauma counselling for children. 

Later, resources were used to start a school in Block 13 (a section of the Camp with the highest population of LGBTQIA+ refugees) for the children as they were refused entry to the general schools and also beaten for being children of LGBTQIA+ people. Kuchu teachers from Block 13 mobilised for teachers who came in from outside. Victor also organised entertainment for the children, such as puppet shows, movie screenings and sometimes when activists from Europe came, they brought their children to play with the kids in Block 13. 

A 2021 report, “The Challenges Facing LGBTQI+ Refugees in Kakuma Refugee Camp, Kenya” by the Organization for Refuge, Asylum & Migration (ORAM) and Rainbow Railroad, highlights the plight of the refugees within Block 13.

There was also a Kuchu refugee, Regina, (who has now moved to Ottawa) who was a nurse and she and another refugee who is a pharmacist, started a medical program, procuring antibiotics, pain tablets and first aid kits to help the Kuchus when there were attacked. 

On the political side, Victor started calling on advocates in Africa and beyond. That is when the Consortium was found. The Consortium was made up of organisations such as the Black LGBTQ Migrant Project, Jass Associated, Coalition of African Lesbians, The Victor Mukasa Show, Triangle Project and the Global Interfaith Network (GIN). Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) was also a part of the Coalition for a period. This larger group of organisations that joined the cause took the advocacy to a higher level. The Coalition started a campaign, #FreeBlock13, which raised the issues faced by the Kuchus, but also served as a fundraising platform. Members inside Block 13 in Kakuma Refugee Camp could use the website to also share their stories and personal experiences of living in Block 13. 

On the Victor Mukasa Show, Victor hosted a special talk at the start of the Coalition’s Free Block 13 Week of Action; April 7 – 13.

Lucretia, a Ugandan trans woman based in Kakuma Camp, wrote a heartfelt essay to an online news blog about her friend Chriton Atuhwera who was known as known as “Trinidad Jerry”, who died in the UNHRC’s hospital after an arson attack in Kakuma’s Block 13. 

Watch more videos from The Victor Mukasa Show about the Kakuma crisis.

In March 2020, The Victor Mukasa Show was broadcast live for the first time. Ugandan trans and LGBTI activist, Victor Mukasa envisioned the show as a space that would bring emerging issues for LGBTIQ+ people from the continent and the Diaspora to light. It aims to feature everything Queer and African, ranging from education, activism, arts, politics, social lives and everything that involves queer Africans. Victor’s vision for The Victor Mukasa Show is that it be a meeting place for queers and allies and a source of information, for activists, for their allies, local communities, legislators, and human rights organisations. The Victor Mukasa Show started off as a weekly podcast, on platforms such as Anchor and Spotify and later migrated to Facebook and YouTube. 

Later on, in March 2023, when the Anti-Homosexuality Bill (AHB) was reintroduced in Uganda at Parliament level, Victor branched The Victor Mukasa Show out to have a more general focus — to open a chapter specifically addressing the Ugandan community. This new division of his talk shows is called Ekimeeza K’abaLaGaBaTa (Queer Table Talk). This segment of the show is in Luganda (the spoken language in Uganda) and aimed at the general public. Queer Table Talk was introduced as a direct result of the AHB (this was before it became an Act of Law) as the suggestions within the proposed Bill was to not only prosecute LGBTIQ+ people but also to silence them and LGBTIQ+ organisations by preventing workshops, awareness raising sessions, meetings, sensitisation sessions, and even the production of informative material was to become illegal. Along with this silencing, the rightwing conservatives also distributed propaganda and misinformation, and stereotyping was on the rise. Victor realised that Ugandan LGBTIQ+ activists within Uganda could do nothing about this, that it would be illegal to address it, and that there was no way to counter the propaganda. This is how the Ekimeeza K’abaLaGaBaTa (Queer Table Talk) was born.

Victor says that The Queer Table Talk continues to deliver great results, with the introduction of the show to TikTok, which has increased viewers and engagement, as well as the fact that the language used (besides Luganda) makes the talks and topics accessible to everyone — not just activists, but the women who sells food on the street side and the boda-boda taxi driver:

“Here we don’t talk about United Nation Declarations and technical terms, we speak the language people understand”.

During the show, Victor has a lot of back and forth communication in Luganda with heterosexual community members. As Victor says

“The only thing that separates us, are the lies that they have been told about us!” 

Watch our interview with Victor about the first Victor Mukasa Show

Le Groupe d’action féministe marocain (GAFM) a été fondé en avril 2019 par Izgar Belrhali. Le GAFM œuvre pour l’élimination des violences liées à l’expression de genre par une approche intersectionnelle et féministe d’autodéfense. Le GAFM vise à promouvoir l’autodéfense féministe comme moyen d’émancipation en partageant des informations, en établissant des contacts, en menant des actions et en échangeant des expériences au Maroc.

Le groupe n’a pas pu s’enregistrer officiellement car l’existence d’organisations LGBTQIA+ est illégale au Maroc.

Groupe d’action féministe Moroc (GAFM), or Feminist Action Group, was founded in April 2019 by Izgar Belrhali. GAFM works to eliminate gender expression-based violence through an intersectional and feminist self-defence method. GAFM aims to promote feminist self-defence as a means of emancipation through sharing information, establishing contact, creating actions and exchanging experiences in Morocco.

The group has been unable to formally register as it is illegal for LGBTQIA+ organisations to exist in Morocco.

La vision / Vision

GAFM aspire à un Maroc où les jeunes femmes et les communautés marginalisées disposent des outils, des connaissances et de la confiance nécessaires pour mener une vie autonome et épanouie. En favorisant la résilience, l’autonomie et la solidarité, GAFM vise à remettre en question et à transformer les barrières systémiques qui perpétuent les inégalités et les discriminations.

GAFM envisions a Morocco where young women and marginalised communities have the tools, knowledge, and confidence to lead independent, empowered lives. By fostering resilience, self-reliance, and solidarity, GAFM aims to challenge and transform the systemic barriers that perpetuate inequality and discrimination.

Mission

GAFM se consacre à la promotion et au renforcement des capacités internes des jeunes femmes, des personnes trans et queer au Maroc grâce à des méthodes d’autodéfense féministes et intersectionnelles. Sa mission est d’autonomiser ces groupes par l’éducation, le plaidoyer et la création d’espaces sûrs pour leur développement personnel et collectif.

GAFM is dedicated to promoting and strengthening the internal capacities of young women, trans, and queer communities in Morocco through feminist and intersectional self-defence methods. Their mission is to empower these groups through education, advocacy, and the creation of safe spaces for personal and collective growth.

Objectifs / Goals

• Autonomisation : Autonomiser les jeunes femmes et les communautés marginalisées du Maroc en leur fournissant les outils, les connaissances et les compétences nécessaires pour mener une vie indépendante et épanouissante.
• Éducation et plaidoyer : Sensibiliser le public et défendre les droits des femmes et des personnes LGBTQIA+, en promouvant la connaissance et la compréhension des enjeux liés au genre et à l’orientation sexuelle.
• Sécurité et soutien : Créer des espaces sûrs où chacun peut partager son expérience, recevoir du soutien et élaborer des stratégies pour sa sécurité personnelle et collective.
• Engagement communautaire : Encourager les initiatives communautaires porteuses de changement durable, en mettant l’accent sur l’amélioration des conditions socio-économiques et de la santé mentale des groupes marginalisés.

• Empowerment: To empower young women and marginalised communities in Morocco by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and skills needed to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
• Education and advocacy: To educate the public and advocate for the rights of women and LGBTQIA+ individuals, promoting awareness and understanding of issues related to gender and sexual orientation.
• Safety and support: To create safe spaces where individuals can share experiences, receive support, and develop strategies for personal and community safety.
• Community engagement: To foster community-led initiatives that drive sustainable change, focusing on improving socio-economic and mental health outcomes for marginalised groups.

Le contact / Contact

Website
+212 626-012656
Email: autodefensefemaroc@gmail.com
Facebook

Founded in 2019 in South Sudan, Rise Initiative for Women’s Right Advocacy (RiWA) works primarily with the LGBTIQ community, with a specific focus on trans women, intersex people and children, as well as youth and survivors of gender-based violence. RiWA promotes and protects the rights of  LGBTIQ persons through advocacy, human rights education, psychosocial support, and leadership development. We also use sports, particularly women’s football, as a platform to empower young women and advocate for equality and inclusion. RiWA was registered in 2021.

Vision

To envisage a peaceful country offering the LGBTIQ community an opportunity to participate in the socio-economic development decisions and activities in South Sudan where they are accorded full and equal dignity without prejudice.

Mission

To empower and amplify the voices of women, girls, and marginalised communities through human rights education, advocacy, and leadership development, fostering equality and social justice in South Sudan.

Goals/Objectives

• Promote gender equality and womxn’s empowerment.
• Protect and advance the rights of LGBTIQ persons and other marginalised groups.
• Prevent and respond to gender-based violence through awareness and psychosocial support.
• Strengthen youth leadership and participation in social change.
• Use sports and creative platforms for community mobilisation and advocacy.

Focus Areas

• Gender Equality and Womxn’s Empowerment
• Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR)
• Human Rights and Access to Justice
• Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
• Sports for Empowerment and Advocacy
• Human Rights Documentation and Protection

Trans and Intersex Programmes

Trans programme

RiWA provides dedicated support to the transgender community in South Sudan, who face high levels of stigma, violence, and exclusion. RiWA’s work includes emergency protection, safe shelter referrals, psychosocial support, and accompaniment for those facing threats or abuse.

The organisation also documents human rights violations against trans people and uses this evidence for advocacy at local and national levels. Through leadership training and community organising, RiWA empowers trans activists to participate in decision-making and strengthen their visibility and safety.

Key areas of our support include:

• Emergency assistance and protection.
• Psychosocial support and healing spaces.
• Documentation of human rights violations.
• Leadership development and capacity building.

Intersex programme

RiWA’s Intersex Community of South Sudan (ICS) Initiative is aimed at addressing issues affecting intersex children and persons in South Sudan. This Initiative is the first of its kind in South Sudan, and is focused on visibility, protection, and empowerment of intersex people. RiWA creates safe spaces for intersex individuals and families, facilitates peer-support groups, and conducts community awareness to challenge stigma and harmful practices, including non-consensual medical interventions.

The Initiative focuses on:

• Community building and peer support.
• Advocacy against harmful practices.
• Research and data collection.
• Medical community engagement.
• Empowerment and leadership.

Contact

Website
+211915217117
Email: riwasouthsudan@gmail.com / info@riwasouthsudan.org
Facebook
Twitter/X
Instagram
LinkedIn
YouTube

Founded in 2018 by Roy Robinson, Pride Sierra Leone (PSL) works with LGBTQI people in Sierra Leone and promotes and protects the human rights of this community living in Sierra Leone and in the diaspora in Europe. The organisation strives to educate and raise awareness for both LGBTQI and non LGBTQI people within society on human rights, gender, sexual diversity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression through training, seminars, debates, campaigns, street theatre, story telling, on information sharing and dissemination. PSL advocates through strategic engagement with government officials, religious leaders and law makers to end human rights violations against African LGBTQI people, asylum seekers and refugees to achieve structural changes within the legal system. Of the 237 registered members (as at May 2026), 60 are intersex, 50 are lesbian, 45 are gay, 35 are trans, 25 are queer, and 22 are bisexual. The organisation was registered in 2020.

Vision

Ensuring a world where equal rights are guaranteed regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

Mission

To work for improved health, ending violence and all forms of discrimination for the attainment of equal rights based on sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.

Goals/Objectives

The organisation

• advocates through strategic engagement with government officials, religious leaders and lawmakers to end human rights violations against African LGBTQI people, asylum seekers and refugees to achieve structural changes within the legal system.
• strives to educate and raise awareness for both LGBTQI and non LGBTQI people within society on human rights, gender, sexual diversity, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression through training, seminars, debates, campaigns, street theatre, story telling, documentaries, information sharing and dissemination.

Focus Areas

Pride Health Monitoring Exercise is sexual health programme that provides educational training, seminars, conferences, peer to peer training, dialogues and sensitizations on sexual reproductive health and rights issues for LGBTQI people, this project will provides referral and follow up support on sexually transmitted infections including HIV prevention, counselling and testing for LGBTQI. This project will be advocate through strategic engagement and visits to public and private health facilities, health care providers and other relevant stakeholders to strengthen to enabling policy environment in the provision of non-discriminatory services to LGBTQI people, and to ensure increased access to comprehensive treatment free from stigma and discrimination.

Contact

Website
+23288411278
Email: pridesierraleone@gmail.com
Facebook

On 27 July 2017, “The House of Kings and Queens” exhibition opened at the Humber Street Gallery in Hull, United Kingdom. The exhibition was made up of photographs by Lee Price, focusing on members of the LGBTQIA+ community living in the home of a young trans woman in Freetown, Sierra Leone. The exhibition marked 50 years since homosexuality was decriminalised in England and Wales. The exhibition documents the lives of the queer community living in the house in a country where homosexuality is criminalised, and where gay and trans people bear the brunt of societal, police and legal inequality, discrimination and violence.

• Note that in many countries where English is not a first language, or where Western terminology is not embraced, people use the word ‘gay’ to include trans people.

From a BBC article about the exhibition:

A visitor to the house, who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of persecution, said: “Life is tough for gay people in Sierra Leone and especially those who are transgender. We face a lot of problems here. Transgender people can be flogged in the streets and we don’t feel safe going out after dark in case we are attacked. When Ebola came to Sierra Leone, it was blamed on gay people. We suffer so much humiliation every day, but I am proud to be gay. The LGBT community faces harassment, ridicule, eviction and violence from people who believe homosexuality goes against their religious or cultural beliefs”.

Photographer, Lee Price said:

“The work, whilst a reminder of the progress still to be made with regards to international gay rights, is also a celebration of the inspiring defiance of oppression and segregation amongst the gay community of Sierra Leone.”

From an article by Attitude magazine:

It is still illegal to engage in homosexual acts in 77 countries, including in Hull’s sister city Freetown, Sierra Leone where a maximum sentence of life imprisonment can be imposed.

While the law is rarely enforced, people of the LGBT+ community face persecution of a different kind. Harassment, ridicule, eviction and violence at the hands of people who say homosexuality goes against their religious or cultural beliefs. Therefore, the vast majority of LGBT+ people choose to keep their sexuality a guarded secret from the people around them.

However, within the heart of Freetown, lives a young transgender woman who offers a warm welcome to members of the LGBT+ community in need. Her home is a sanctuary where they do not have to hide who they are and can live without oppression whilst surrounded by those who understand and accept them. They call it ‘The House of Kings and Queens’.

Lee Price was commissioned by Hull 2017 to create this unique collection of photographs, which acts as a window into the lives of the house ‘s inhabitants and explores what it means to be gay in Freetown.

The photographs convey both the cloud of secrecy that the subjects of the images live under and the sense of liberation that they feel at being able to express themselves freely, even in such a restricted environment.

Lee said: “I was delighted to be asked to document such a poignant subject matter and to mark this important anniversary year of decriminalisation.