Lunchtime Seminar Series:

LGBTI rights in Uganda – the state of human rights defenders in perilby Sandra Namutebi, human rights defender from Uganda

The Irish Centre for Human Rights, in cooperation with Front Line Defenders, is pleased to welcome Sandra Namutebi, a human rights defender for the LGBTI community in Uganda.

In February 2014, Ugandan President Museveni signed a law outlawing homosexual acts which was then annulled in August 2014 due to a technical issue. Although this law no longer stands, it reflects the widespread prejudice against the LGBTI community in Uganda; it is within this climate that Sandra works. The organisation she works with, the National LGBTI Security Committee, is a safety and protection body in Uganda that deals with emergencies of sexual minorities. They provide a hotline service for LGBTI community members and track and monitor abuses motivated by prejudice against the community. The political and social climate for human rights defenders, particularly for those working for LGBTI rights, is dangerous, with hostility from both the government and society. Although fearful of the dangers and prejudices she faces daily, Sandra continues her work and recognizes its importance in this increasingly difficult environment.

Sandra’s talk will touch upon a short history of Ugandan politics and society, the general situation for human rights defenders in Uganda and the situation for LGBTI rights defenders in Uganda. Finally, she will talk about her personal story, as how governmental and societal issues affect her life and work.

All are welcome!

For more information please contact t.ananthavinayagan1@nuigalway.ie