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Find the report here.
On Monday 24th April 2023 at 5 pm CET (11 am Eastern / 3 pm GMT), the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy is hosting a special online event to launch a new research report revealing connections between aid donors and anti-LGBTQI groups in Uganda.
Entitled Progressive cash for the anti-LGBTQI backlash?: How aid donors and ‘feminist’ governments have funded backers of Uganda’s deadly Anti-Homosexuality Bill, this report is based on an in-depth examination of financial records published by aid donors themselves. It reveals how taxpayers across Europe and North America have been connected – without their knowledge – to anti-LGBTQI religious groups in Uganda. This has happened, at a large scale, despite repeated pledges from these donors (which are all part of the global Equal Rights Coalition) to protect and promote LGBT rights around the world. Some of this funding is ongoing.
In addition to the authors of the report, Claire Provost and Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, the speakers for Monday’s event, who will comment on this research, are:
– Edward Mutebi, a Ugandan activist at Let’s Walk Uganda.
– Ophelia Kemigisha, a Ugandan Human Rights lawyer formerly with the Institute for Strategic Litigation in Africa.
– Pontso Mafethe, African Women’s Development Fund director of programs.
– Beirne Roose-Snyder, Council for Global Equality senior policy fellow.
– Damjan Denkovski, Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy.
– Willy Mutunga former Chief Justice of Kenya and also former Ford Regional Director.
The discussion will be moderated by Elizabeth Kemigisha, Feminist Lawyer and Advocacy Manager FIDA Uganda.
At this crucial time, don’t miss this event and register here.
Claire Provost is a feminist investigative journalist and co-founder of The Institute for Journalism and Social Change; she previously worked at The Guardian, The Centre for Investigative Journalism in London, and openDemocracy, where she was Head of Global Investigations.
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah is an African feminist activist, the author of The Sex Lives of African Women, and a Founding Partner of The Institute for Journalism and Social Change
Watch the recording of the event here:
Learn more about our speakers:
Elizabeth Kemigisha is a feminist lawyer with interest and expertise in human rights law, feminist theory and project management. She currently works and organizes with FIDA-Uganda as an Advocacy Manager and Economic Justice Programme lead. Her work focuses on addressing barriers to women’s involvement in economic activities; using feminist tools of analysis to examine and understand systemic injustices and their manifestations and, interrogating the intersection of economic exploitation and gender oppression. In the past, she worked on programmes on enhancing access to justice for LGBTI persons, and sexworkers in Uganda.
Beirne Roose-Snyder, J.D., is a human rights lawyer and strategist working at the intersections of HIV/AIDS, U.S. foreign policy, abortion rights, LGBTQI+ rights, and the law. She is the senior director at The Preclusion Project, and also serves as the senior policy fellow at the Council for Global Equality, a coalition of 35 organizations working together for LGBTQI+ inclusion in U.S. foreign policy.
Ophelia Kemigisha, is a feminist activist, writer, and Ugandan Human Rights lawyer formerly with the Institute for Strategic Litigation in Africa.
Willy Mutunga, is the former Chief Justice of Kenya and former Ford Regional Director. Born 16 June 1946, he is a Kenyan lawyer, intellectual, reform activist, and was the Commonwealth Special Envoy to the Maldives. He is also an active member of the Justice Leadership Group. He is the retired Chief Justice of Kenya and President of the Supreme Court of Kenya.
Pontso Mafethe has over 25 years of experience in social justice, with a focus on gender justice, indigenous-led organizations, violence against women, and racial justice in international development. She is the Director of Programmes at the African Women’s Development Fund and has worked with organizations such as Action Aid, Comic Relief, and the International Planned Parenthood Federation. Pontso has been recognized as one of BBC’s 100 Women and is a member of several advisory panels and steering committees. She is currently Chair of the Programmes Committee and Board member of EMpower, Board Chair for Make Every Woman Count, and Chair of the International Development Committee of the Baring Foundation.
Edward Mutebi an LGBTIQA+ Human Rights Activist, is the founder of an LGBTIQ+ human rights organisation LET’S WALK UGANDA. Based in Uganda (East Africa.), A founding member of Pen-Berlin. Edward is also the founder and executive director of a human rights news Blog “The world is watching International”. www.theworldiswatching.international, and member of Queer Amnesty Berlin. He is currently working as a student Assistant at the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy CFFP, Currently in Kenya, where he is conducting his Master’s Thesis research.
Damjan Denkovski is the Deputy Executive Director at the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy, leading the Universal Human Rights program and developing intersectional approaches to international cooperation. He has a background in peace support and security sector reform and previously worked at organizations such as the Berghof Foundation and the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces. Damjan holds an interdisciplinary Master’s degree in International Development from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva and a Bachelor degree in Politics, Psychology, and Sociology from the University of Cambridge.