An archive of histories/herstories/theirstories affecting
and influencing the trans, gender diverse and
intersex movements in Africa
Categories are displayed alphabetically at the top of the Timeline and can be used to filter the results to focus on the research theme chosen. For example, ‘All’ will show you all topics, while ‘Intersex’ will display all entries related to intersex movements and moments.
Alternatively, use the search bar in the menu at the top and bottom of screen to find more specific information.
Categories relating to gender, sex characteristics and sexual orientation have flag icons and colour groups to visually distinguish them from one another:
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.
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.
27 July 2017 — Art Exhibition Shows Life in the Home of Young Trans Woman in Freetown, Sierra Leone 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 […]
The Intersex Model Law, proposed in 2017, was a draft law that the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria put together with the aim of protecting the rights and well-being of intersex individuals. The law was developed in response to historical injustices faced by intersex individuals, therefore crucial for addressing issues such as non-consensual medical interventions, legal recognition, and anti-discrimination protections which are central for the dignity and autonomy of intersex people.
Efforts towards tabling the Model Law began with the first consultative meeting held by the Centre for Human Rights in South Africa to validate the draft Model Law on intersex persons. The meeting was attended by intersex rights activists from South Africa representing organisations including Iranti, AIDS Rights Alliance of Southern Africa (ARASA), Open Society Initiative for Southern Africa (OSISA), Transgender & Intersex Africa (TIA) and OUT Well-Being, as well as Justice John Chigiti from Kenya. According to a statement released by the Centre for Human Rights on 26 April 2017,
“there was a wide consensus during the consultative meeting on the need for states to enact laws and policies, review existing policies and repeal any laws to ensure that the rights of intersex persons are protected.”
The Centre for Human Rights planned to eventually table the Intersex Model Law at the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), specifically aiming for the Law to be used as a tool for advocating for law reform and stronger legal recognition and protection of fundamental rights and freedoms of intersex persons across Africa. Some of the legislative provisions in the Model Law included prohibition of all medical unnecessary surgeries and procedures on intersex children, prohibition discrimination of intersex person in all spheres of life, investigating and monitoring human rights violations against intersex persons through National Human Rights Institutions, ensuring that victims of such human rights violations have access to justice and some form of reparations, and providing easy administrative processes to make it easy for intersex persons to amend name and sex on a birth certificate or any other legal document.
SIPD Uganda held a panel discussion at the Changing Faces Changing Spaces conference in Kenya 2017, deliberating on the benefits of the draft Intersex Model Law, and panelists articulately expounded on why the law would be important. One of the panelists declared that,
“Intersex children and people cannot afford to continue to be mistreated and thrown to extreme margins of society and this is why the model law would be instrumental in pushing our advocacy for shifts in language from pathological to rights based terms and subsequent shifts in lived realities through an Africa-wide resolution in the short term and National legal in the long run. Whether via tools such as the law or policy the ultimate goal is to change societal attitudes and create a safe and just environment for intersex children and people in every sphere of life. So we are very keen on short term gains like improved living realities as much as long term gains such as national and continental legal reforms.”
The second consultative meeting was held in Niamey, Niger at the NGO Forum preceding the 60th Ordinary Session of the ACHPR. During this session, the commissioners advised that the activists consider tabling a resolution to the Commission instead of proposing it as a law. The difference between a Model Law and a Resolution is not something you can refer to as insignificant, as they serve distinct purposes and have different impacts. A Model Law provides a detailed legal framework intended to guide or influence national legislation, making them more practical tools for legislative change while Resolutions, on the other hand, are formal expressions of opinion, recommendations, or policy positions. In this case, a Resolution was recommended because it would be more flexible, address a wide range of issues and easier to gain consensus on. Also, a Resolution could be passed more quickly than a Model Law, a difference which was crucial, especially at a time when the anti-gender movements were on the rise. The Resolution could also be a way to shape the discourse or put an issue on the agenda for further action including the possible future development of a model law or other binding agreements.
Countries might agree on broad principles expressed in a Resolution, making it influential and welcomed more openly than a Model Law in most African countries and yet still raise important visibility and help these countries set their own agendas for human rights protections for their native intersex people.
The ACHPR had previously adopted Resolution 275 in 2014, a resolution on the protection against violence and other human rights violations against persons on the basis of their real or imputed sexual orientation or gender identity, a great win for the LGBTIQ community. However, the resolution did not specifically mention intersex persons or sex characteristics, which is why it was very important to lobby for a resolution that would specifically speak to the intersex rights in Africa. All of this combined, prompted advocacy work which later facilitated the adoption of the Resolution on the promotion and protection of the rights of intersex persons in Africa – ACHPR/Res.552 (LXXIV) 2023.
The journey towards securing the rights of intersex individuals is far from over, but collaborative efforts between activists, legal experts and organisations across Africa represent a powerful force for change. It is crucial that the momentum for intersex rights be maintained. Advocates and allies must continue to push for both short-term victories and long-term reforms, ensuring that the rights of intersex persons are not only recognised but actively protected. The path forward will require persistence, solidarity and innovative strategies, but the goal remains clear: a future where intersex persons can live with dignity, free from discrimination and harm.
2017 — The Proposal of The Intersex Model Law, South Africa The Intersex Model Law, proposed in 2017, was a draft law that the Centre for Human Rights at the University of Pretoria put together with the aim of protecting the rights and well-being of intersex individuals. The law was developed in response to historical […]
Founded on 12 September 2017, UNITY Association Togo helps young trans people in Togo by advocating for their psychological and social well-being through cultural events, recreational and educational outings, educational talks, focus groups and assistance with socio-professional integration. UNITY also works towards fighting stigmatisation discrimination and all forms of gender-based violence. The association is based in Lomé and has branches in Aného and Kara. UNITY was registered in 2019.
“The LGBT movement in Togo has undergone many changes since its creation. Despite this structuring of the LGBT movement and the changes made to improve the living conditions of LGBT people in Togo, Trans* people and their specific needs are not taken into account by existing classic LGBT associations. The majority of actions are either MSM-centered or do not take into account the specific needs related to Trans* people in terms of health and human rights. This is due on the one hand to a lack of knowledge of trans identity and on the other hand to a low visibility of Trans* people in the evolution of the LGBT movement.”
A trans-led organisation with the capacity and resources to address the health, human rights and social development needs of trans people.
To promote unity, visibility and the development of trans people and to address specific issues related to our sexual and gender identity.
Website
+228 9037 5218
Email: contact@associationunity.org / associationunity2018@gmail.com
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12 September 2017 — Unity Association Togo Founded, Togo Founded on 12 September 2017, UNITY Association Togo helps young trans people in Togo by advocating for their psychological and social well-being through cultural events, recreational and educational outings, educational talks, focus groups and assistance with socio-professional integration. UNITY also works towards fighting stigmatisation discrimination and […]
Founded on 25 September 2017, Droit A la Différence (DADI) is an NGO fighting against STIs/HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, other pandemics and promoting human rights for trans people in Côte d’Ivoire.
From their website:
“We believe in a Côte d’Ivoire where in every family, in every business, every institution, every community, every school, on every piece of the national territory transgender people are no longer victims of rejection, stigmatization, discrimination in all its forms and are treated as full members with respect for their Human Rights for strong participation in the development of Côte d’Ivoire.”
Website
Email: transongdadi@gmail.com / contact@transdadi.org
0747855177 / 0777473091
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25 September 2017 — Founding of Droit A la Différence (DADI), Côte d’Ivoire / Ivory Coast Founded on 25 September 2017, Droit A la Différence (DADI) is an NGO fighting against STIs/HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, other pandemics and promoting human rights for trans people in Côte d’Ivoire. Vision From their website: “We believe in a Côte d’Ivoire […]
Between the 24th and 26th November 2017, the First African Intersex Meeting took place in Johannesburg, South Africa. This meeting brought together 22 intersex people representing intersex organisations from 7 African countries. It was during this meeting that the African Intersex Movement started organising and they released the following statement:
Preamble
We recall the principles of the Public Statement by the Third International Intersex Forum (known as the Malta Declaration) and extend the demands aiming to end discrimination against intersex people in Africa, to ensure the right of bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination.
We affirm that intersex people are real, and we exist in all countries of Africa. As intersex people in Africa, we live in a society that perpetuates violence and killings of intersex people by cultural, religious, traditional and medical beliefs and practices. Therefore, we must be supported to be the drivers of social, political and legislative changes that concern us.
Demands
- To put an end to infanticide and killings of intersex people led by traditional and religious beliefs.
- To put an end to mutilating and ‘normalising’ practices such as genital surgeries, psychological and other medical treatments through legislative and other means (such as education, policy and treatment protocol change). Intersex people must be empowered to make their own decisions affecting their own bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination.
- To include intersex education in antenatal counselling and support.
- To put an end to non-consensual sterilisation of intersex people.
- To depathologise variations in sex characteristics in medical practices, guidelines, protocols and classifications, such as the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Diseases.
- To ensure that sex or gender classifications are amendable through a simple administrative procedure at the request of the individuals concerned. All adults and capable minors should be able to choose between female (F), male (M), intersex or multiple options. In the future, sex or gender should not be a category on birth certificates or identification documents for anybody.
- To raise awareness around intersex issues and the rights of intersex people in communities and society at large.
- To create and facilitate supportive, safe and celebratory environments for intersex people, their families and surroundings.
- To ensure that intersex people have the right to full information and access to their own medical records and history.
- To ensure that all professionals and healthcare providers that have a specific role to play in intersex people’s well-being are adequately trained to provide quality services.
- To acknowledge the suffering and injustice caused to intersex people
- To build intersex anti-discrimination legislation in addition to other grounds, and to ensure protection against intersectional discrimination.
- To ensure the provision of all human rights and citizenship rights to intersex people, including the right to marry and form a family.
- To ensure that intersex people are able to participate in competitive sport, at all levels, in accordance with their legal sex. Intersex athletes who have been humiliated or stripped of their titles should receive reparation and reinstatement.
- To recognise that medicalization and stigmatisation of intersex people result in significant trauma and mental health concerns.
- In view of ensuring the bodily integrity and well-being of intersex people, autonomous non-pathologising psycho-social and peer support be available to intersex people throughout their life (as self-required), as well as to parents and/or care providers.
In view of the above the African Intersex Movement calls on:
- National governments to address the concerns raised by the African Intersex Movement and draw adequate solutions in direct collaboration with intersex representatives and organisations.
- Traditional and religious leaders to stop harmful cultural practices, such as tradition-led mutilations and killings of intersex people.
- National, regional and international human rights institutions to take on board, and provide visibility to intersex issues in their work.
- Community leaders to engage in intersex education to dispel misconceptions and stigma around intersex people.
- Human rights organisations to contribute to build bridges with intersex organisations and build a basis for mutual support and meaningful engagement. This should be done in a spirit of collaboration and no-one should instrumentalise intersex issues as a means for other ends.
- Funders to engage with intersex organisations and support them in the struggle for visibility, increase their capacity, the building of knowledge and the affirmation of their human rights.
Source: https://intersexday.org/en/statement-african-forum-2017/
The main theme of the 2019 convention was the recognition of intersex rights as human rights. Participants reaffirmed the principles enshrined in both the International and regional human rights instruments, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Yogyakarta Principles and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, which affirm the right of intersex individuals to self-determination, bodily autonomy and non-discrimination. They also spoke about countries like Malta, Australia and Portugal, which have taken steps to legally protect intersex persons, as well as examining why Africa as a region and the different state parties have little or very close to no interest in legislating to protect their own intersex communities from the severe violations and abuses as reported by the activists.
In 2019, a historic moment unfolded as 21 African Intersex human rights defenders from across the African continent convened in Kenya under the theme “visibility…. Voice…. Freedom”, from the 19th to the 21st of June to cement the work of the African Intersex Movement (AIM). The landmark initiative aimed at sharing information, skills and resources while advancing the rights and visibility of intersex individuals across Africa. The convention made a pivotal step forward by the African region collectively addressing unique challenges faced by the intersex community in the region and amplifying their voices on the global stage. The 2019 Statement, an outcome of the conference held in Naivasha, Kenya in 2019, is a public statement to extend demands aiming to end discrimination against intersex people while ensuring their right to bodily autonomy and self-determination. This statement announced the launch of the African Intersex Movement offering themselves as the African intersex reference of intelligence for stakeholders and allies who are interested in strengthening the ongoing liberation work for intersex people’s rights and autonomy. The statement demands a wide range of rights including legal recognition, access to healthcare, employment, education and sport, marriage, bodily autonomy, information, especially to medical records and surroundings, inclusion and, mainly, the right to life. It also calls upon community leaders, human rights organisations and resource partners to support the African intersex people.
Key to the convention’s success was the active participation and leadership of the pioneers of intersex activism in Africa whose first-hand experiences provided invaluable insights and drove the agenda for change. Their courage in sharing their activism stories of resilience, survival, and self-affirmation served as a powerful catalyst for collective action among attendees.
Hosted in a spirit of solidarity and association, the formation of AIM brought together IHRDs and allies from across Africa including Kenya, Malawi, Uganda, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The convention created a platform to allow individual connections with fellow intersex activists in ways that fostered movement wellness, built trust and affirmed a collective vision for the change desired for the African intersex community. Activists shared their experiences, discussed common struggles, identified specific regional needs and structured a united front in advocating for dignity, equality and recognition for intersex persons. The formation of the African Intersex Movement was a critical milestone in the ongoing struggle intersex rights and recognition. The movement stands as a testament to the power of collective action. Recognising the need to promote unity, solidarity and cooperation among African nations was the first step towards wider visibility and long-term impact. The movement has grown to have an impressive coverage of all the African regions and as it continues to gain momentum and evolve. Its members remain steadfast in their commitment to challenging oppression, fostering solidarity, and creating a world where all intersex persons can live authentically and without fear.
Throughout the proceedings, speakers underscored the urgent need to challenge harmful practices such as infanticides, discrimination, non-consensual surgeries and ‘normalising’ interventions now more commonly referred to as Intersex Genital Mutilation (IGM) imposed on intersex children. These practices, rooted in stigma and ignorance, have long perpetuated violence and trauma against intersex individuals, often resulting in lifelong physical and psychological harm. Some of the widely highlighted challenges directly involved in intersex activism included the absurdly low funding of intersex organising in Africa and how the African governments continue to ignore the intersex communities in their countries, despite clear knowledge about their existence and the severe violations and abuses of the human rights of intersex individuals. Participants concurred that one of the most effective approaches to addressing these issues could be through improving messaging and outreaches, while utilising the National Human Rights Institutions which operate autonomously from the government but possess the capacity to exert influence upon it; a strategy that proved to work for the Kenyan activists.
The convention also provided a platform for intersex activists to highlight the intersections of intersex identity with other forms of oppression, including child abuse, female genital mutilation, gender-based violence, discrimination and marginalisation. This intersectional approach is important to fully address all forms of oppression without dismantling a person’s identity into distinct dimensions that don’t affect one another. Discussions were therefore focused on the importance of building inclusive movements that centre the voices and experiences of intersex people, particularly those from marginalised communities whose oppression and discrimination is an inextricably blended experience. The diverse expressions will serve to challenge the prevailing narratives of shame and secrecy surrounding intersexuality and affirm the inherent dignity and worth of every individual.
The key outcomes of the convention were the election of a starring committee of the African Intersex Movement made up of four members, overseen by Julius Kaggwa and Hlompho Mokoena (formerly known as Nthabiseng) and a statement that was guided by the 2017 Statement from the first African intersex meeting in Johannesburg, South Africa. The genesis of the establishment of the AIM can be traced back to this meeting where ideas of the necessity were formalised by the participants.
The Movement amplifies intersex voices and affirms to the world that, in all African Countries: WE EXIST.
Read more about AIM.
24—26 November 2017 — The Birth of the African Intersex Movement (AIM), South Africa Between the 24th and 26th November 2017, the First African Intersex Meeting took place in Johannesburg, South Africa. This meeting brought together 22 intersex people representing intersex organisations from 7 African countries. It was during this meeting that the African Intersex […]
Fondée le 9 décembre 2017 par Orneill Latiyah, l’Association Transgenres et Droits a été fondée à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire. Elle œuvre au service de la communauté trans ivoirienne (hommes, femmes et personnes non binaires) et se concentre sur la promotion des droits humains et le plaidoyer politique pour la reconnaissance juridique des identités trans. L’organisation n’a pas pu s’enregistrer en raison des contraintes et restrictions légales en vigueur en Côte d’Ivoire concernant les identités trans et les droits humains.
Founded on 9 December 2017 by Orneill Latiyah, Association Transgenres et Droits (translated as Transgender and Rights Association) was founded in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, serving the Ivorian trans* community (trans men, trans women and non-binary people), focusing on the promotion of human rights and political advocacy for the legal recognition of trans* identities. The organisation has not been able to register, given the legal constraints and restrictions in Ivory Coast regarding trans identities and their human rights.
La reconnaissance juridique des personnes Trans* pour une insertion socio-politique légale.
Legal recognition of trans* people for legal and socio-political integration.
Promouvoir la justice pour tous en vue de l’amélioration des conditions de vie des personnes Trans* dans un monde sans Discrimination/Stigmatisation liés aux stéréotypes du Genre.
Promoting justice for all with a view to improving the living conditions of trans* people in a world without discrimination/stigmatisation based on gender stereotypes.
Promouvoir l’égalité des GENRES
Promote gender equality through:
Email: transgenres.d@gmail.com / tia.transd@gmail.com
+225 0584165135
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Nous avons interviewé le fondateur de Transgenres et Droits, Orneill Latiyah, le 29 août 2025 :
We interviewed Transgenres et Droits’ founder, Orneill Latiyah on the 29th of August 2025:
9 December 2017 — Création de l’Association Transgenres et Droits, Côte d’Ivoire / Association Transgenres et Droits Founded, Ivory Coast Fondée le 9 décembre 2017 par Orneill Latiyah, l’Association Transgenres et Droits a été fondée à Abidjan, en Côte d’Ivoire. Elle œuvre au service de la communauté trans ivoirienne (hommes, femmes et personnes non binaires) […]
Following the National Engagement on the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Intersex Persons meeting organised by Iranti with South African intersex activists, community members and stakeholders on the 11th of December 2017, the National Intersex Meeting Report was published in 2018, entitled ‘National Dialogue on the Protection and Promotion of the Human Rights of Intersex People.’
The Report focuses on female genital mutilation (FGM), intersex genital mutilation (IGM), circumcision, the language and framing of intersex in South Africa, infanticide, healthcare, the South African legal structure, social and cultural marginalisation (in sport, movement funding, state and civil society approaches and awareness, research, educational environments, and official documents and sex status), and the responsibility of Chapter 9 Institutions (State institutions supporting constitutional democracy in South Africa).
From the conclusion of the Report:
“On the 16th September, 2015 was the first time that UN convened a discussion specifically to discuss the human rights of intersex people. The High Commissioner noted ‘When I started as High Commissioner a year ago, I knew little about intersex people. I don’t think I was alone in this: it reflects a general lack of awareness. Too many people assume, without really thinking about it, that everyone can be fitted into two distinct and mutually exclusive categories: male or female.’
This, unfortunately, continues to be the case both globally and in South Africa specifically. Addressing the rights of intersex people means both acknowledging the diversity of human bodies and shifting language. It means ensuring that infants are not subject to invasive and unnecessary surgical procedures to ‘normalise’ their bodies. Moreover, intersex people have the right to be informed about their intersex status and to make their own choices regarding their bodies, the right to determine their own identities. In essence, we are talking about the right to bodily integrity and self-determination. The notion that human beings are born into one of two distinct and separate sexes is deep-rooted and contributes to an ongoing taboo and stigma regarding intersex lives. This culture of silence perpetuates a legacy of shame and secrecy along with the invisibility of intersex lives. It also prevents families and individuals from pursuing a model of full, free and informed consent.
Addressing the needs of intersex South Africans means recognising diversity, understanding the history of medical gatekeeping particularly with its relationship to Apartheid notions of race and class and advancing
legislation to address IGM and indeed the murders and death of intersex infants. As Rebecca Steinfeld and Brian Earp argue, and this is particularly true for Constitutional democracies, founded on a legacy of equality ‘Whatever specific policies are implemented, however, what is clear is that fundamentally different treatment of female, male, and intersex children —with respect to the preservation of their bodily integrity — will become increasingly difficult to justify in the coming years’.”
Read the full report.
11 December 2017 — ‘National Engagement on the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Intersex Persons’ Meeting, and the Publication of ‘National Intersex Meeting Report’, South Africa Following the National Engagement on the Promotion and Protection of the Human Rights of Intersex Persons meeting organised by Iranti with South African intersex activists, community […]
In 2017, Batswana trans woman, Tshepo Ricki Kgositau (former Executive Director of Gender DynamiX) won her 2011 case against the Civil and National Registration office in Gaborone, Botswana to change her documentation in the national register from male to female. Read more.
12 December 2017 — Tshepo Ricki Kgositau Wins Case to Change Gender Marker, Botswana In 2017, Batswana trans woman, Tshepo Ricki Kgositau (former Executive Director of Gender DynamiX) won her 2011 case against the Civil and National Registration office in Gaborone, Botswana to change her documentation in the national register from male to female. Read more.
In 2018, the Intersex Community of Zimbabwe (ICoZ) was founded by Ronnie Zuze. The organisation was registered in 2021. ICoZ is a developmental intersex-led organisation based in the community that focuses on intersex people in an environment where there is limited appreciation and acknowledgment of the existence of intersex people. ICoZ Trust works to promote the identification, inclusion, integration, and assimilation of human rights issues affecting intersex people in Zimbabwe. ICoZ seeks to realise a society that has an appreciation of human rights inclusive of intersex people as a minority group appreciated by the larger population where service providers and policymakers have a limited understanding of intersex issues. Protection of dignity and bodily integrity through the elimination of Human rights violations at all levels. To date, the organisation is continuously working on improving Health, Human rights, Life Skills, Capacities, and participation in governance processes through creating awareness and gathering data, and presenting evidence in establishing the existence of intersex people recognised by the law in Zimbabwe.
Intersex people thriving in all facets of life in an environment where diversity and equality are key to human development.
To empower the intersex community through innovative participatory strategies to enhance development and build capacity in responding to their developmental needs.
ICoZ provides:
Website
+263718035814
Email: zimintersexcommunity@gmail.com / kmurisa92@gmail.com / info@icozimbabwe.org
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2018 — Founding of Intersex Community of Zimbabwe (ICoZ), Zimbabwe In 2018, the Intersex Community of Zimbabwe (ICoZ) was founded by Ronnie Zuze. The organisation was registered in 2021. ICoZ is a developmental intersex-led organisation based in the community that focuses on intersex people in an environment where there is limited appreciation and acknowledgment of […]
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.
Ensuring a world where equal rights are guaranteed regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.
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.
The organisation
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.
Website
+23288411278
Email: pridesierraleone@gmail.com
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2018 — Founding of Pride Sierra Leone (PSL), Sierra Leone 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 […]
Established in 2018, the National Transgender Advocacy Network (NTAN) is a consortium that supports trans, gender diverse and intersex movements in Kenya through action, freedom, power, and knowledge-building approaches that focus on building socio-cultural support networks among trans movements to voice their concerns and to stimulate capacity building that inform organisational learning that is strategic, authentic, visible and trans-led. NTAN has several core functions that support trans organisations to prepare for and respond to the complexities they face in different regions. Members include Jinsiangu, Trans* Alliance (TA) as co-chairs, and Pwani Transgender Initiative (PTI), Muamko Mpya, Malindi Desire Initiative, Trans Sisters Network Nakuru, Trans Support Organization (TSO), Lake Basin Initiative for Transgender Empowerment (LABASITE), OutStar Busia, Bungoma Life Ambassadors, Tula Self Help Group, and Youths for Equality Forum Homabay
To see a society that upholds gender equality, dignity, respect and fairness for all trans people.
To uphold gender equality, dignity, and rights for all trans people in Kenya.
Key focus areas:
NTAN’s gender-affirming healthcare-related advocacy and service-delivery learning is focused on contributing to expanding trans, non-binary and intersex people’s participation through in-country global partnerships with healthcare systems advocating for deliberate inclusion of gender identity, gender expression, and bodily diversity issues in the work of donors, health systems, and with local, national, regional and international organisations working on primary healthcare needs of trans, non-binary and intersex persons grounded in international human rights practice standards.
NTAN’s involvement in local, national, and International Human Rights systems aims to end human rights violations based on gender identity, gender expression, and bodily diversity issues, including those of criminalisation, exclusion, violence, stigma, and discrimination holding governments accountable to social justice indigenous issues.
NTAN is working to create a radical expansion of political organising by formally plugging trans organisations in different sectors to harness their specific input and expertise on gender identity, gender expression, and bodily diversity issues at the local, national, regional, and international levels so that activists can participate in all decision-making processes affecting their communities.
The network’s approach to knowledge management aims to promote an integrated approach to identifying, capturing, evaluating, retrieving, and sharing NTAN’s information assets. These assets include databases, documents, policies, procedures, and previously un-captured expertise and experience in Network membership organisations.
Contact can be made through NTAN’s co-chairing organisation, Jinsiangu
Website
Email: jinsiangu@gmail.com
2018 — Founding of National Transgender Advocacy Network (NTAN), Kenya Established in 2018, the National Transgender Advocacy Network (NTAN) is a consortium that supports trans, gender diverse and intersex movements in Kenya through action, freedom, power, and knowledge-building approaches that focus on building socio-cultural support networks among trans movements to voice their concerns and to […]
Founded in 2018, Refugee Trans Initiative (RTI) is a trans-led community based organisation that aims to create visibility for trans refugees and the local trans community. The organisation was founded by Vanilla (Tcheugoue) Hussein, a trans refugee woman, along with the help of Doreen Andrews and Purity Paige Tumukwasibwe, and other trans refugees who believe in the rights of trans women by creating awareness of the issues faced by trans refugees and ensuring empowerment of trans women through advocacy, safe housing, livelihood development and seminars amongst others.
Challenges faced by trans refugees in Kenya include:
A free trans refugee community, the freedom to be one’s true self, and an empowered trans community.
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+254 702 371 502
Email: refugeetransinitiavite@gmail.com
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2018 — Founding of Refugee Trans Initiative (RTI), Kenya Founded in 2018, Refugee Trans Initiative (RTI) is a trans-led community based organisation that aims to create visibility for trans refugees and the local trans community. The organisation was founded by Vanilla (Tcheugoue) Hussein, a trans refugee woman, along with the help of Doreen Andrews and […]
In 2018, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung published a report on trans rights in Tunisia by Dr Habib Nouisser, titled ‘Sex Change in Tunisia: When Law Confiscates Identities.’ According to the study,
“the Tunisian judiciary systematically refuses requests to change gender markers in cases in which people have undergone sex reassignment surgery because of gender identity disorder, citing various sources from the Qur’an as well as Tunisia’s cultural positioning in the Arab-Muslim world as grounds for their decisions. The same study indicates that the judiciary is more inclined to allow legal gender recognition for intersex people than for transgender people.
Judicial authorities’ reliance on the misconceived pathologization of transgender identities forces transgender people who seek legal recognition of their gender to endure humiliating medical examinations by judicial forensic authorities. Judicial authorities also require transgender people to undergo all surgical and hormonal treatments before reviewing their applications.”
Source: ‘Tough Territory for Transgender People in Middle East and North Africa’, by Nora Noralla
The study looked at Tunisian legislation regarding gender identity. The author writes that Tunisian law views gender as a binary, meaning it does not cater for people who undergo gender-affirming surgery, condemning them to discrimination based on identity documents that do not reflect their bodily realities and gender identities (pages 4-5).
The author continues, the law
“confines the person concerned to a legal status which restricts his/her most fundamental rights as an indication and not limited to his/her basic right to identity, his/her right to enter marriage and found a family, his/her right to individual liberty, his/her right to respect for the dignity of his/her person [… and] his/her body” (page 6).
According to the study, legislation allows changes to legal sex if it is “justified by a vital necessity, with a curative purpose” and not on the basis of “modifying the initial sex” (page 7). This would seem to indicate, although the study does not explicitly say so (possibly due to the article being written in Arabic and translated into English), that Differences of Sexual Development, or intersex characteristics, would be a legally acceptable reason to amend one’s legal sex as it would be “curative” in removing any sexual physical ambiguities and make it easier to place an individual in the legal binary of male and female.
The study also discusses the reliance on religion within the justice framework, with gender identity being seen as a Western world “cultural identity”, and contrary to the teachings of the Quran (pages 7-8).
In an article published on 7 April 2022 entitled ‘Tough Territory for Transgender People in the Middle East and North Africa’, Nora Noralla writes that surgical gender-affirming care for Tunisian trans people are limited, with people having to travel abroad. One activist said,
“There are no doctors who can do the surgeries for us here, maybe some plastic surgeons would do the top surgery [breast augmentation or removal], but it is very costly. I traveled to Egypt in 2015 after some friends there connected me with doctors who did the operation for me in their private clinic.”
Noralla also writes that access to general healthcare is often denied to trans people, and that they have been harassed by healthcare workers. A trans man interviewed by Noralla said,
“When I get sick, I would rather sleep it away than go to a hospital. Every time I go I either get mocked or cursed at and often do not even receive the treatment I need.”
Noralla reports that trans people not being able to access identity documents that reflect their gender leads to discrimination. A trans man said that
“For me, the biggest problem is the mismatch between my papers and my gender identity. I cannot get a job, and this impacts all the other aspects of my life.” He added, “The basis of our problems is the lack of economic empowerment. If we get jobs, we can make money and then undergo the operations or travel abroad.”
In concluding the article, Noralla writes:
“Tunisia [is party] to international human rights treaties, including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), and the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), which emphasize the protection of human rights regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation. The UN Human Rights Committee, which monitors compliance with the ICCPR, and the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights have made clear that countries are prohibited from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender identity in upholding the rights set forth in the respective treaties. CESCR General Comment No 14 states that the right to healthcare is fundamental and calls on member states to ensure access to healthcare without discrimination. CESCR General Comment No 4 emphasizes the right to adequate and safe housing.
Tunisia [is] also obligated under the African Charter of Human Rights to protect sexual and gender minorities as stipulated in the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights’ resolution 275 in 2014, which condemns systematic attacks and human rights violations based on gender identity and sexual orientation and states that governments should pass new laws to address the violations […]
In view of the documented violence transgender people face by security forces, the authorities in Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia should ensure that transgender people have equal access to legal protections and complaint mechanisms to report violations against them.”
2018 — Study on Trans Rights Published, Tunisia In 2018, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung published a report on trans rights in Tunisia by Dr Habib Nouisser, titled ‘Sex Change in Tunisia: When Law Confiscates Identities.’ According to the study, “the Tunisian judiciary systematically refuses requests to change gender markers in cases in which people have undergone sex reassignment […]
Fondée en 2018, Égalité Transgenres RDC (ETRDC) est une organisation dirigée par des personnes transgenres, qui œuvre à la promotion des droits, de la dignité, de la santé, de la protection et de l’inclusion sociale des personnes transgenres en République démocratique du Congo. L’organisation intervient principalement dans la province du Sud-Kivu, notamment à Bukavu et dans ses environs ; ses actions communautaires s’étendent également à des localités telles que Kabare, Kavumu et Uvira, en fonction des activités programmées et des ressources disponibles. L’organisation opère dans un contexte marqué par l’insécurité, les difficultés socio-économiques, la stigmatisation, la discrimination et les obstacles à l’accès aux services essentiels. Elle est née de la nécessité de renforcer la visibilité, les droits, la sécurité, l’accès aux soins de santé et la participation à la vie communautaire des personnes transgenres en République démocratique du Congo. Au fil du temps, ETRDC a développé des activités communautaires axées sur la santé, la prévention du VIH, le soutien psychosocial, les droits humains et la lutte contre l’exclusion vécue par les personnes transgenres. L’organisation accompagne des personnes transgenres confrontées à la discrimination, à la violence, au rejet familial, à l’itinérance, à l’exclusion économique, ainsi qu’à des obstacles entravant l’accès aux soins de santé et au soutien psychosocial. Ses interventions portent également sur la prévention du VIH et des infections sexuellement transmissibles, la santé sexuelle et reproductive, l’éducation communautaire et l’accès aux services essentiels. ETRDC cherche à répondre aux besoins et aux vécus spécifiques des personnes transgenres, tout en promouvant la dignité, l’autodétermination, le leadership communautaire et une participation significative.
Founded in 2018, Égalité Transgenres RDC (ETRDC) is a transgender-led organisation working to promote the rights, dignity, health, protection, and social inclusion of transgender people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organisation operates particularly in South Kivu, particularly in Bukavu and surrounding areas, with community engagement extending to locations including Kabare, Kavumu, and Uvira, depending on programme activities and available resources. The organisation operates in a context affected by insecurity, socioeconomic hardship, stigma, discrimination, and barriers to essential services. The organisation emerged from the need to strengthen transgender people’s visibility, rights, safety, access to healthcare, and participation in community life in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Over time, ETRDC has developed community-based activities addressing health, HIV prevention, psychosocial support, human rights, and the exclusion experienced by transgender people. The organisation works with transgender people who experience discrimination, violence, family rejection, homelessness, economic exclusion, and barriers to healthcare and psychosocial support. Its work also addresses HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention, sexual and reproductive health, community education, and access to essential services. ETRDC seeks to respond to the specific needs and experiences of transgender people while promoting dignity, self-determination, community leadership, and meaningful participation.
La mission principale d’ETRDC consiste à promouvoir et à protéger les droits et le bien-être des personnes transgenres, par le biais de programmes communautaires, d’interventions en matière de santé, d’un soutien psychosocial et d’actions en faveur des droits humains. Les activités de l’organisation comprennent :
ETRDC’s main work is to promote and protect the rights and well-being of transgender people through community-based programs, health interventions, psychosocial support, and human rights activities. The organisation’s activities include:
Une société dans laquelle les personnes transgenres peuvent vivre en toute sécurité et dans la dignité, à l’abri de la violence, de la discrimination et de l’exclusion ; un avenir où les personnes transgenres en République démocratique du Congo peuvent accéder aux soins de santé, à l’éducation, à l’emploi, à la protection et à la justice, sans discrimination fondée sur leur identité de genre ; ainsi que des organisations dirigées par des personnes transgenres plus solides, une participation accrue de la communauté aux décisions qui les concernent, et la préservation de l’histoire et des vécus des personnes transgenres en RDC.
A society in which transgender people can live safely and with dignity, free from violence, discrimination, and exclusion; a future in which transgender people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo can access healthcare, education, employment, protection, and justice without discrimination based on their gender identity; and stronger transgender-led organisations, greater community participation in decisions affecting transgender people, and the preservation of transgender histories and lived experiences in the DRC.
Promouvoir et protéger les droits, la santé, la dignité et l’inclusion sociale des personnes transgenres en République démocratique du Congo. L’organisation œuvre à améliorer l’accès aux soins de santé, à la prévention du VIH, au soutien psychosocial, aux services de protection, à l’information sur les droits humains ainsi qu’à une assistance communautaire. À travers ses programmes et ses partenariats, l’ETRDC cherche à renforcer le leadership des personnes transgenres, à réduire la discrimination et à favoriser leur participation à la vie sociale et communautaire.
To promote and protect the rights, health, dignity, and social inclusion of transgender people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The organisation works to improve access to healthcare, HIV prevention, psychosocial support, protection services, human rights information, and community-based assistance. Through its programmes and partnerships, ETRDC seeks to strengthen transgender leadership, reduce discrimination, and support the participation of transgender people in social and community life.
Les principaux objectifs de l’ETRDC incluent :
ETRDC’s main objectives include:
Website
Email: egalite.transegenre@gmail.com
+243 893 846 224
2018 — Création d’Égalité Transgenres RDC (ETRDC), République Démocratique du Congo (RDC) / Founding of Égalité Transgenres RDC (ETRDC), Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Fondée en 2018, Égalité Transgenres RDC (ETRDC) est une organisation dirigée par des personnes transgenres, qui œuvre à la promotion des droits, de la dignité, de la santé, de la protection […]
Founded on 20 January 2018 by Salma Alaoui, Adam Cherifi and Zeyne Oulmakki, Dynamique Trans (Trans Dynamics) works primarily with trans people in Morocco, including non-binary, gender non-conforming, and intersex individuals — especially those from underrepresented communities. This includes trans migrants and refugees living in Morocco, who are among the most affected by systemic marginalisation, legal precariousness, and social violence.
Dynamique Trans envisions a world where all trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and intersex individuals — especially in Morocco and across the Global South — can live in safety, dignity, and freedom. The organisation believes in full bodily autonomy, gender self-determination, and the collective right to thrive beyond systemic oppression, colonial legacies, and gender-based violence. Their vision is rooted in intersectional feminist, anti-imperialist, and anti-capitalist politics. Dynamique Trans is committed to building non-mixed, self-organised spaces led by the most marginalised. They draw strength from our histories of resistance and honour the struggles of those who came before us.
The organisation’s mission is to affirm the right of every person to define their identity, access care without stigma or discrimination, and participate in building liberatory futures. Dynamique Trans exists to strengthen the self-organised power, safety, and wellbeing of trans, non-binary, gender non-conforming, and intersex individuals in Morocco. They work to build autonomous, non-mixed spaces by and for those most affected by gender-based oppression and systemic injustice. Through peer-led accompaniment, community care, legal and psychological support, knowledge production, and grassroots advocacy, they aim to resist marginalisation and reclaim collective agency.
Website
WhatsApp (no calls; messages only): +212 704 834 000
Email: contact@dynamiquetrans.org
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20 January 2018 — Founding of Dynamique Trans (Trans Dynamics), Morocco Founded on 20 January 2018 by Salma Alaoui, Adam Cherifi and Zeyne Oulmakki, Dynamique Trans (Trans Dynamics) works primarily with trans people in Morocco, including non-binary, gender non-conforming, and intersex individuals — especially those from underrepresented communities. This includes trans migrants and refugees living […]
On 17 February 2018 by Iranti hosted a historic meeting with trans members of the South African Deaf community. The resultant report, ‘(Trans)lation?: Experiences of the Deaf Transgender Community in South Africa’, aimed to fill the gap in research on and knowledge about Deaf trans and LGBTQIA+ members of South African society. The Report covers the following Deaf trans advocacy issues in South Africa:
From the Report:
“The emergence of Deaf people as visible members of the transgender community is relatively recent. In light of this very little research is available. Much of the work in this report then draws on work with transgender people; work with Deaf people and Deaf LGB/gay research, in an effort to fill some of this gap. It must be noted from the outset that this is far from ideal and that much more work needs to be done globally to address the absence of knowledge regarding the needs of LGBTIQA+ people who are deaf and/or have disabilities. It is widely agreed, as this report will attest to, that there is a distinct lack of visibility of Deaf transgender people globally. In turn, this has meant a limited availability of what is referred to as ‘survival literature’ -‐ any form of published academic, creative or visual material that validates existence. This is particularly severe when it comes to the public visibility of Deaf transgender people of colour.
This report begins by outlining Deaf transgender advocacy as it currently stands globally, followed by a mapping of the situation as it currently stands for Deaf LGBTQIA+ and transgender South Africans. With this background in place the report unpacks the Saturday meeting between Iranti and members of South Africa’s Deaf transgender community. This is followed by an overview of Deaf advocacy in Africa and then Deaf transgender advocacy in
South Africa specifically. The report then provides an overview of key issues, possibilities for future advocacy efforts and suggestions for immediate changes that might be made. Finally the report highlights some key concerns at the intersections of transgender and Deaf advocacy particularly regarding language and depathologisation.”
Read the full Report.
17 February 2018 — Historic Meeting with Trans Members of the Deaf Community and Publication of ‘(Trans)lation?: Experiences of the Deaf Transgender Community in South Africa’ Report, South Africa On 17 February 2018 by Iranti hosted a historic meeting with trans members of the South African Deaf community. The resultant report, ‘(Trans)lation?: Experiences of the […]
Robert Hamblin, in collaboration with Leigh Davids and members of SistaazHood, held the InterseXion exhibition, which opened at the Iziko South African National Gallery on 22 March 2018. This was a landmark event and a pivotal moment in the South African art world as it was the first time that a National Gallery showed work by and about trans sex workers. The exhibition was on show for five months from March through to August 2018 and consisted of voice and video installations as well as photographic images.
“InterseXion was a body of work consisting of performance photographs and voice works created with The Sistaaz Hood support group for trans sexworkers at the organisation SWEAT. It took almost seven years of support group meetings, explorations of feminisms and making decisions on how to work in ways that decolonised methods traditionally used to document communities. In that work I had to explore my own identity in contrast to the group members. The work was personal in the storytellings but we also looked at ourselves as representing the divides that existed between myself as a white male presenting privileged person and their own range of feminine and black identities also framed by class.”
– Robert A. Hamblin
“InterseXion is a body of photographic images, voice and video installations pertaining to sex workers in South Africa, in particular feminine identified transgender sex workers. Photographer Robert Hamblin has collaborated with sex work activist Leigh Davids to photograph and interview transgender women who sell sex. To engage with the subject from multiple perspectives, Hamblin pertinently inserts himself into some of the works with Davids. Presenting the intersection of gender, sex and class from the perspective of trans people acts as a lens to consider the power consequences of how bodies present in society.”
— Iziko Museum
“Hamblin’s InterseXion unfolds in three series’, The SistaazHood, Diamond Town Girls and the installation Intersections. This exhibition is centred on the artist’s photographic images, voice and video installations pertaining to sex work in South Africa, in particular work with transgender women (male to female) who sell sex. Through this thought provoking and compelling exhibition, Hamblin joins an active and ongoing debate around the decriminalisation of sex work in South Africa and the social-political issues surrounding individuals in the industry, wherein transgender women are described as the most vulnerable populations.
A narrative that Hamblin continues to explore through his work is that of the complexities around sex work in South Africa. Since 2011, Hamblin has been producing bodies of photographic work with trans women sex workers. He has done so because of an interest in the subject matter, but also in an attempt to present their experiences as a macro reflection of the fault lines in society. How do we as privileged persons intersect with sex worker’s lives and how are we directly and inadvertently implicated in their struggles? How does his own trans identity as a privileged person contrast with that of a homeless trans sex worker?
His interest in the conceptual potential of the subject matter was evoked by his involvement at the organization SWEAT (Sex Workers Education & Advocacy Task Force) in 2011. Before volunteering at SWEAT, Hamblin was a founder member and advocacy manager at Gender DynamiX, an organisation concerned with transgender rights. At SWEAT he was asked to assist a group of transgender women who worked as sex workers, to form a support group. Delving into his own knowledge and experiences as a trans person and advocate, he could assist the group with advocacy planning. Being a volunteer relieved him somewhat of the constraints of pure advocacy and during the work with these women he found the intersection for his art practice and activism. The Sistaaz Hood support group was born and their first goal was to create an art project with Hamblin. The first series of works with them carries the same name. The works aims to elicit an interest with viewers to review contrived notions of sex workers and trans people. During the collaborations with The Sistaaz Hood (Cape Town), and later the Diamond Town Girls (Kimberley), Hamblin allows his models to become co-creators of the works. “In a process of consultations with the participants, their frustrations became the portal, or the lens through which I approached this project. There was a range of issues; I came to realise that if you ever want to glean society’s perception of trans issues, or even gender issues, these participants’ lives provide a space within which such matters are severely concentrated. It is the space where gender, class and race intersect and leaves an indelible mark on the lives and bodies of these participants” Hamblin explains.”
Robert A. Hamblin is an artist, published author, afab-feminist and parent. His art flounces around gender and bodily things. He seeks a reconnection with nature for queer people. His fine art work is concerned with masculinity, power, whiteness and the performance of these constructs. Hamblin’s conceptually driven, painterly photographic works have been exhibited locally and internationally. He has received critical acclaim for his compelling works that contribute to debates around body politics in a post-apartheid era. He is the published author of “Robert: A Queer and Crooked Memoir”, which Supreme Court Justice Edwin Cameron described as “A remarkable feat that challenges people to examine not just their own sexuality and identity but their very humanity.” Robert was a founding board member of Gender Dynamix, and later years the Advocacy Manager.
22 March — August 2018: First Exhibition of Work By and About Trans Sex Workers in a National African Gallery — InterseXion Exhibition, Iziko National Gallery, South Africa Robert Hamblin, in collaboration with Leigh Davids and members of SistaazHood, held the InterseXion exhibition, which opened at the Iziko South African National Gallery on 22 March […]
Founded by Mphatso Sakala, Intersex Society Zambia (ISSZ) is an intersex-led not-for-profit non-governmental organisation founded on 2nd May 2018. It ISSZ started its operations on 1st April 2019 and was registered on 19th May 2019. It exists to facilitate the recognition and protection of intersex people and to promote access to social, legal, political, spiritual and economic frameworks of intersex persons and transforming them into well-informed, motivated and active individuals to live a fulfilling life, achieving their dreams and contributing to their communities in Zambia and beyond its borders.
A Zambia where the rights of intersex persons are upheld by all.
To promote the rights of intersex persons in Zambia for an inclusive social, legal, and policy environment through evidence-based advocacy, awareness raising, psychosocial support, rehabilitation and supporting access to economic opportunities, education and health services.
Email: intersexzambia@gmail.com
+260 762132032
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Founder and current Executive Director of ISSZ, Mphatso is a passionate Intersex activist and human rights defender. They have played an active role in intersex activism in Africa since 2017 and are passionate and committed to intersex human rights advocacy and documentation. They have taken a leadership role in the formation of the African Intersex Movement (AIM), which brings together intersex activists and persons from across Africa and Mphatso currently sits on the AIM steering Committee as a Co-Chair. They have also contributed to several regional and global intersex spaces.
They are a Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) Southern Africa (SA) Civic Leadership Alumni 2017, Rainbow Advocacy Program Fellow 2018 and Human Rights Defender Advocacy Program Fellow 2019 and a consultant on Intersex People and Sex Characteristics issues. A Computer and Network Engineer by profession and currently pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Development Studies and Psychology, they are fervent about human rights work, especially the rights of intersex persons (children, adolescents and adults), children and marginalised groups.
What inspired you to start ISSZ instead of joining an existing intersex organisation, if there was one in Zambia at the time?
“I first worked for an organisation that advocated for trans and intersex rights but I later noticed a gap in the programming, especially around intersex children. If you are very keen in intersex activism, you will realise that organisations that work with minority groups usually avoid working with children because they do not want to be accused of recruiting them into homosexuality, which is a misleading notion that is not true but is still a narrative that exists in our society. This gap clearly affects the intersex babies whose identity questions begin at birth! My exact thoughts were “what happens to intersex babies and children between the time they are born until the time they reach puberty or the age of 16 or 18 to discover themselves?” This is what provoked me to start ISSZ, an intersex specific organisation that could encompass the welfare of intersex people from infancy, through childhood, youth to their adulthood.”
How did you identify the specific needs or issues of the intersex community that ISSZ addresses?
“It was through a combined effort of strategies. I specifically had the privilege of travelling to Uganda to learn from pioneer organisations like SIPD (Support Initiative for People with Atypical Sex Development) to understand intersex programming and organising. This helped me identify the stakeholders in Intersex rights advocacy and on travelling back to Zambia, I engaged intersex persons and mothers of intersex children in order to understand their own experiences beyond mine. I also did a lot of reading, research and consultations. This helped me form interventions around the unique needs and challenges of the intersex people in Zambia.”
Were there any role models or mentors who influenced your decision to start ISSZ?
“Yes, I was mentored by Julius Kaggwa, the founder of SIPD Uganda and my late doctor, Prof. James Chipeta.”
Can you describe the initial steps you took to turn your idea into a reality?
“When I realised the gaps around intersex organising in Zambia, my first step was to talk to the organisation that I was working with at the time to explain why I was leaving at the end of my contract. It was important for me to maintain a good working relationship with them. I then identified some of the main goals I wanted to achieve if I was to found an intersex-specific organisation. Exploring the change that I wanted to see in Zambia, the bigger picture, that is the vision, I also engaged with and learnt a lot from intersex activists from around Africa and the globe, doing a situational analysis back at home to build a strong foundation that would support the intersex community in Zambia.”
Did you face any scepticism or doubt from others when you first proposed ISSZ? How did you respond?
“Many supported and encouraged me to start the organisation, however there were instances that gave me cold feet as the day came closer. The landscape around intersex activism proved to be challenging especially around funding. I debated about leaving a job that paid me a monthly salary to commit to a volunteer position. This caused a lot of scepticism but I decided to focus on the good that the organisation would bring.”
What values or principles guide your organisation’s work?
“The organisation is guided by confidentiality, transparency and accountability, compassion, commitment, responsibility, tolerance and team work.”
How do you involve the community in the planning and implementation of ISSZ projects?
“We usually make sure that our programming is informed by the community we work with through the peer and parents’ support groups meetings that we hold monthly. These help inform our work by providing valuable local knowledge and insights into the communities’ dynamics and keep it tailored to the needs of our community.”
Have you collaborated with other organisations or individuals to further your mission? If so, how?
“The intersex community has a number of stakeholders and this has enlarged our collaborations as well. We’ve collaborated with media institutions to create visibility and help in shaping opinions and narratives on intersex persons. We have also closely worked with organisations that offer skills development programmes. We have worked with religious groups, government ministries like the ministry of health, Civil Society Organisations and partners beyond Zambia as well. We have worked with Institutions like the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights (KNCHR). Our collaborations also includes intersex-led organisations from around Africa and the World.”
What do you think sets ISSZ apart from others working in the same field?
“Community involvement is a priority for us and this has fostered community ownership of the organisation.”
Looking back, what are you most proud of accomplishing with ISSZ so far?
“I can talk about three accomplishments. One was the privilege of being able to contribute in the advocacy efforts that led to the adoption of the Resolution 552 to promote and protect the rights of Intersex persons in Africa by the African Commission on Human and People’s Rights in Africa. The second is having initiated the development of a management protocol for intersex persons — one that will hopefully be reviewed and adopted by the Zambian Ministry of Health very soon. Lastly is being able to conduct a legal and policy review as an organisation with support from other stakeholders, which shows the gaps in the law when it comes to inclusion of intersex persons.”
Watch Mphatso being interviewed by Diamond TV Zambia:
2 May 2018 — Founding of Intersex Society of Zambia (ISSZ), Zambia Founded by Mphatso Sakala, Intersex Society Zambia (ISSZ) is an intersex-led not-for-profit non-governmental organisation founded on 2nd May 2018. It ISSZ started its operations on 1st April 2019 and was registered on 19th May 2019. It exists to facilitate the recognition and protection […]
Published on the 1st of July 2018 by Jacana Media in South Africa, Landa Mabenga’s “Becoming Him: A Trans Memoir of Triumph” became the second South African trans memoir to be published, after Anastacia Tomson’s “Always Anastacia: A Transgender Live in South Africa”. The third and fourth trans memoir’s were Robert Hamblin’s “Robert: A Queer & Crooked Memoir for the not so Straight & Narrow” and Elise Bishop’s “Twee Lewens”, with the fifth being “I Am Tshiamo: My Transition to Self-Acceptance and Womanhood” by Tshiamo Modisane.
“In April 1981, Landa Mabenge enters this world, trapped in a girl’s body. From an early age, Landa is aware that he does not relate to his female form, despite being socialised as a girl. In this groundbreaking and brutally honest memoir, Landa Mabenge establishes himself as a resounding and inspirational voice for anyone fighting to define themselves on their own terms. In mesmerising detail, Becoming Him lays bare Landa’s tortured world, growing up trapped in the wrong body, while unflinchingly tracing his transition from female to male. His childhood in Umtata is brutally shattered, when at age 11 an angry woman and her zombie-like husband unexpectedly arrive to force him to accompany them to Port Elizabeth. Life in PE with ‘The Parents’ soon morphs into a Dickensian nightmare. Landa is subjected to horrific physical, emotional and psychological abuse as he descends into a world of isolation and shame. He recalls his prison of powerlessness: ‘I count the years I will have to remain a slave. There are seven before my redemption: 7 x 365 = 2555 days. Today is nearly at an end. By the end of tomorrow there will be 2554. By the end of the week, 2548. And so I will myself on. Eventually the day will come when I will be free.’ At 18 Landa is finally able to escape PE to study at UCT, where he tries to embrace life as a butch lesbian, but he remains tortured by his female body. After a close-to-death break down, Landa finally finds strength to embark on an arduous four-year-long journey to physically and legally become ‘him’, relentlessly researching what it will entail to embark on gender alignment. In 2014, Landa makes history by becoming the first known transgender man in South Africa to successfully motivate a medical aid to pay for his surgeries through the Groote Schuur Transgender Clinic. Both heartbreaking and uplifting, Becoming Him is a unique story of torture and triumph, bravely opening the lid on cultural shame and abuse against those who choose a path less travelled. In 2017 Landa was selected out of over 60 000 African applicants for the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. Today Landa lives a transformed and happy life as a transgender educationalist and consultant.” (Source: Exclusive Books)
Watch this interview with Landa about his book:
1 July 2018 — Publication of “Becoming Him: A Trans Memoir of Triumph” by Landa Mabenge, South Africa Published on the 1st of July 2018 by Jacana Media in South Africa, Landa Mabenga’s “Becoming Him: A Trans Memoir of Triumph” became the second South African trans memoir to be published, after Anastacia Tomson’s “Always Anastacia: […]
Intersex Community Trust was founded in September 2018 by Betha Tsitsi Ndabambi, an intersex woman who identified the issues faced by intersex Zimbabweans in her works as a journalist and community navigator. In Zimbabwe intersex issues have progressively emerged as relevant to fundamental rights protection. However, they are still largely treated as medical issues falling outside the scope of public scrutiny. The organisation focuses its work in the peri-urban areas and rural areas in Harare, Mashonaland East and Manicaland.
A created space where members of the intersex community can find healing, connection, self-exploration and education. Intersex Community Trust Zimbabwe envisions a space that challenges oppression in its forms.
To provide an inclusive, safe space with a raised voice committed to a continued process of understanding and challenging all forms of oppression. The Intersex Community Trust Zimbabwe is a dynamic, responsive organisation that serves by providing a growing spectrum of programs, resources, outreach and advocacy.
Email: intersexcommunitytrust@gmail.com
+263713277202 / +263772210765
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September 2018 — Founding of Intersex Community Trust, Zimbabwe Intersex Community Trust was founded in September 2018 by Betha Tsitsi Ndabambi, an intersex woman who identified the issues faced by intersex Zimbabweans in her works as a journalist and community navigator. In Zimbabwe intersex issues have progressively emerged as relevant to fundamental rights protection. However, […]
There are many African organisations and individuals who over the years have contributed in invaluable ways to the story of the trans, gender diverse and intersex movements who are not yet included on our Timeline.
We want to acknowledge and include all verifiable contributions.
The Timeline is about your stories and voices. You can find out more about how to contribute by visiting our Contact Us page here.
