Latest news with #Anti-HomosexualityAct
Business Insider
4 days ago
- Business
- Business Insider
World Bank restores funding to Uganda despite controversial anti-gay law
The World Bank has restored funding to Uganda nearly two years after suspending new financing in response to the country's Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA). The World Bank has resumed funding to Uganda after a two-year suspension instigated by the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA). The Bank justified resumption through effective mitigation measures within ongoing Ugandan projects to limit potential adverse impacts. While Uganda's AHA remains unchanged, the decision signals shifting geopolitical dynamics by international financial institutions. The World bank in 2023, suspended funding to Uganda after the country's parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), saying the law contradicted its values. The legislation sparked international condemnation for imposing severe penalties on LGBTQ+ individuals, including life imprisonment and, in some cases, the death penalty. According to Reuters, the World Bank said it had developed a working relationship with Ugandan authorities to implement strong measures aimed at mitigating potential harm resulting from the law. " We have now determined the mitigation measures rolled out over the last several months in all ongoing projects in Uganda to be satisfactory," " Consequently, the Bank has prepared three new projects in sectors with significant development needs – social protection, education, and forced displacement/refugees, which have been approved by the Board." said a Bank spokesperson, who requested anonymity. The decision to resume funding signals a shift in the Bank's engagement strategy with Uganda and raises broader questions about how global institutions navigate the tension between promoting human rights and maintaining development partnerships. While there has been no indication of changes to Uganda's legal position on LGBTQ+ rights, the World Bank's renewed support may reflect wider geopolitical and economic considerations in the region. How the world reacted to Uganda's Anti-Gay Law Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), signed into law in May 2023, imposed sweeping criminal penalties for same-sex relationships, including life imprisonment and, in cases of so-called 'aggravated homosexuality,' the death penalty. The law drew swift and widespread condemnation from Western governments, human rights organizations, and international institutions, and was widely regarded as one of the harshest anti-LGBTQ+ laws in the world. Beyond the World Bank's suspension of funding, several Western governments issued strong rebukes and implemented measures affecting Uganda's international standing. The United States led the diplomatic response, with the Biden administration describing the law as 'a tragic violation of universal human rights.' In turn, Washington imposed travel restrictions on Ugandan officials believed to be involved in the legislation and initiated a review of its financial assistance to the country. The European Union also condemned the law, emphasizing its incompatibility with international human rights norms and warning that it would reassess its relationship with Uganda. Similarly, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights called the legislation 'shocking' and 'discriminatory,' urging its immediate repeal. Outside of official government action, Western-based human rights organizations, NGOs, and civil society groups amplified the global outcry. Advocacy campaigns were launched to pressure the Ugandan government, while some multinational corporations voiced concern about the law's potential impact on employees and business operations in the country. Despite this international backlash, Ugandan officials have welcomed the recent restoration of World Bank funding, portraying it as an endorsement of the country's sovereignty and development agenda.
TimesLIVE
5 days ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
World Bank to resume Uganda funding after halt over anti-LGBT law
The World Bank said on Thursday it will resume funding to Uganda, nearly two years after the global lender suspended new financing to the country in response to an anti-LGBT law that imposes penalties including death and life imprisonment. The bank halted funding to the East African country in August 2023 after Uganda's parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), saying the law contradicted its values. The bank had worked with Ugandan authorities to put in place strong measures to mitigate against potential harm from the law, a World Bank spokesperson told Reuters via e-mail. "We have now determined the mitigation measures rolled out over the last several months in all ongoing projects in Uganda to be satisfactory," said the spokesperson, who asked not to be named. "Consequently the bank has prepared three new projects in sectors with significant development needs — social protection, education, and forced displacement/refugees — which have been approved by the Board."
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
World Bank to resume Uganda funding after halt over anti-LGBT law
KAMPALA (Reuters) -The World Bank said on Thursday it would resume funding to Uganda, nearly two years after the global lender suspended new financing to the country in response to an anti-LGBT law that imposes penalties including death and life imprisonment. The bank halted funding to the East African country in August 2023 after Uganda's parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), saying the law contradicted its values. The bank had worked with Ugandan authorities to put in place strong measures to mitigate against potential harm from the law, a World Bank spokesperson told Reuters via email. "We have now determined the mitigation measures rolled out over the last several months in all ongoing projects in Uganda to be satisfactory," said the spokesperson, who asked not to be named. "Consequently, the Bank has prepared three new projects in sectors with significant development needs – social protection, education, and forced displacement/refugees – which have been approved by the Board." The World Bank is one of Uganda's biggest sources of external financing, especially in infrastructure construction in the transport sector. AHA mandates the death penalty for so-called "aggravated homosexuality" which includes among other categories having same-sex relations with a disabled person or where gay sex results in transmission of a terminal illness to a victim. It also decrees a 20-year sentence for "promoting" homosexuality.
The Star
5 days ago
- Business
- The Star
World Bank to resume Uganda funding after halt over anti-LGBT law
KAMPALA (Reuters) -The World Bank said on Thursday it would resume funding to Uganda, nearly two years after the global lender suspended new financing to the country in response to an anti-LGBT law that imposes penalties including death and life imprisonment. The bank halted funding to the East African country in August 2023 after Uganda's parliament passed the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA), saying the law contradicted its values. The bank had worked with Ugandan authorities to put in place strong measures to mitigate against potential harm from the law, a World Bank spokesperson told Reuters via email. "We have now determined the mitigation measures rolled out over the last several months in all ongoing projects in Uganda to be satisfactory," said the spokesperson, who asked not to be named. "Consequently, the Bank has prepared three new projects in sectors with significant development needs – social protection, education, and forced displacement/refugees – which have been approved by the Board." The World Bank is one of Uganda's biggest sources of external financing, especially in infrastructure construction in the transport sector. AHA mandates the death penalty for so-called "aggravated homosexuality" which includes among other categories having same-sex relations with a disabled person or where gay sex results in transmission of a terminal illness to a victim. It also decrees a 20-year sentence for "promoting" homosexuality. (Reporting by Elias Biryabarema. Editing by Hereward Holland and Mark Potter)
Globe and Mail
08-03-2025
- Politics
- Globe and Mail
Democracy's canary: What anti-LGBTQ politics tell us about our democratic future
Ayo Sogunro is an international human rights lawyer and scholar-activist, currently undertaking legal research at Osgoode Hall Law School at York University. The decline of a democracy rarely announces itself with dramatic flair. Instead, it often begins with seemingly isolated restrictions on specific groups – particularly minorities. Genuine democracies don't just guarantee voting rights, they also protect fundamental freedoms that ensure personal autonomy and human dignity for everyone. The right to vote is merely an illusion if some people do not have the freedom to express their identity, form relationships or make personal decisions about their bodies without state interference. Yet today, these freedoms are now under systematic assault from forces that want to restrict individual liberties in the name of 'traditional values.' The pattern has become increasingly evident as anti-LGBTQ legislation across different countries proves to be a versatile tool for the introduction of authoritarian measures. The strategy is as effective as it is insidious: by targeting a marginalized group first, authoritarian politicians and movements minimize public resistance and test the waters for wider restrictions. Consider recent developments: In 2021, Hungary passed restrictions on LGBTQ content in schools, alongside wider controls on information access. Russia's expanded 'gay propaganda' laws in 2022 coincided with tightened restrictions on press freedom and civil society. In the United States, what began with Florida's ' Don't Say Gay ' law has evolved into federal policy under Donald Trump 's second term, with executive orders banning diversity initiatives, restricting gender recognition to binary categories and excluding transgender persons from military service – all of which is happening in tandem with a radical consolidation of power for Mr. Trump and his inner circle, and the circumvention of institutional protections for federal government employees and the general public. Similarly, Uganda's 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act was passed in a legislative context that included stricter controls on NGO operations and expanded state-surveillance capacities. Meanwhile, Ghana's proposed anti-LGBTQ bill embeds new restrictions on media freedom and civil-society organizations. These are not coincidences, but components of a calculated strategy. Anti-LGBTQ measures are effective as tools of democratic erosion because of their ability to fragment democratic opposition. By framing these restrictions as defences of vague 'traditional values' rather than what they truly are – attacks on civil liberties, such as freedom of expression or association – authoritarian politicians and movements can convince enough citizens to support measures that ultimately undermine their own democratic rights. The methodology is consistent across jurisdictions: create a moral panic about threatened 'values' – say, a 'war on woke' – and then leverage that fear to justify expanding state power and limiting civil liberties. This approach has proven remarkably successful in both democratic and semi-democratic contexts in Europe and Africa. This pattern of attack distinguishes anti-LGBTQ measures from other forms of discrimination as indicators of democratic decay. Of course, racism and xenophobia remain serious concerns, but they don't necessarily signal systemic democratic failure. There are societies where racial discrimination or anti-migrant sentiment persists, but legal systems maintain remedies for affected individuals. South Africa, for instance, maintains robust democratic institutions and constitutional protections for its citizens despite widespread xenophobia, with migrants having access to courts and legal remedies even in the face of public hostility. The queer power of reading In essence, what sets anti-LGBTQ policies apart is their direct assault on democratic fundamentals: they typically involve not just discrimination, but the active suppression of advocacy, expression and basic civil rights for citizens within their own society. When governments ban LGBTQ-related advocacy or books, criminalize Pride marches or forbid public discussion of gender identity, they're not just targeting a specific group – they are dismantling the very mechanisms of democratic discourse and participation. Even more troubling is the emergence of an unlikely alliance between various anti-democratic forces. American evangelical organizations, European far-right groups and certain Middle Eastern autocracies have found common cause in opposing liberal democratic values through a well-documented global anti-rights movement. While these groups may differ in their specific ideological or religious positions, they converge on an important point: dismantling the democratic institutions that limit their control over individual and social behaviour. Paradoxically, some of the greatest beneficiaries of liberal democracy – billionaires such as Elon Musk and leading politicians from historically marginalized communities in the United States and Britain – are now actively working to reshape democratic institutions in ways that consolidate their individual power. These actors often exploit legitimate economic grievances and social anxieties to advance an agenda that ultimately serves their interests rather than addressing the root causes of public discontent. And so, what are the implications? Defending LGBTQ rights isn't merely about supporting one marginalized community – it's about protecting the democratic principles that guarantee everyone's freedom. The same legal frameworks and civil society institutions that protect sexual and gender minorities also safeguard other fundamental democratic freedoms. When governments restrict LGBTQ advocacy, they create precedents and mechanisms that can be easily repurposed to target other minorities, independent media and civil-society organizations. We need to understand these connections if we are to mount an effective response. Citizens who genuinely value democratic ideals must recognize that attacks on LGBTQ rights often signal authoritarian ambitions. The path forward requires building broad coalitions that understand these connections and can effectively resist the erosion of democratic norms. It means helping communities recognize that defending LGBTQ rights isn't just about equality – it's about preserving the democratic principles that protect everyone's freedom. The future of democracy could depend on our ability to see through the smokescreen of 'traditional values' and identify these measures for what they truly are: calculated steps toward democratic erosion. In defending LGBTQ rights, we preserve the democratic principles that protect us all. The canary in the coal mine is still chirping – we would do well to heed its warning.
