- That, they said, is in accordance with article 3 of the African Charter which provides for equal protection from the law.
- The group issued a statement on Monday responding to the murder of Edwin Kiprotich Kiptoo alias Chiloba last week, who was an LGBTQ activist and fashion personality.
Image: COURTESY
A Pan-African civil rights group has called on Kenya and other African countries to enact a law prohibiting violence against LGBTQ.
The Akina Mama Wa Afrika group said those who identify as Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, Transgender, Intersex and Queers are not fully protected from harm by the law.
“Our appeal is to uphold the sanctity of human life without discrimination in accordance with Article 2 of the African Charter,” they said.
The charter, to which Kenya is a party, prohibits discrimination against the individual based on distinctions of race, ethnic group, color, sex, language, religion, political or any other opinion, national and social origin, fortune, birth or any status.
“We also urge every African state to enact and effectively apply appropriate laws prohibiting and punishing all forms of violence including those targeting persons based on their imputed or real sexual orientation and gender identities,” they said.
That, they said, is in accordance with article 3 of the African Charter which provides for equal protection from the law.
The group issued a statement on Monday responding to the murder of Edwin Kiprotich Kiptoo alias Chiloba last week, who was an LGBTQ activist and fashion personality.
“We condemn the increasing incidence of violence and other human rights violations, including murder, rape, assault, arbitrary imprisonment, and other forms of persecution of persons based on their imputed or real sexual orientation or gender identity,” they said.
They said they look forward to the initiation of a transparent and thorough investigation into Chiloba’s murder and the implementation of justice.
“We also call for the establishment of judicial procedures responsive to the needs of victims,” they said.
They reminded the state that the true measure of a society’s commitment to equality and human rights is to be measured not by its protection of the majority and mainstream members of society.
“It is measured by the extent to which it goes to secure the lives and liberties of those who are perceived to be or are different from the mainstream,” they said.
They expressed love and sympathy to the family, friends of Chiloba, and the LGBTIQ community during this time.