KIOS Supports LGBTIQ+ Activists in Africa and Asia 

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KIOS is one of the few Finnish civil society actors providing direct support to the LGBTIQ+ movement in Africa and Asia. The alarming situation in East Africa has made KIOS focus more intensely on supporting the LGBTIQ+ movement in the region. We had a chat with Elina Vuola, a long-time expert at KIOS, about her work on LGBTIQ+ rights, especially in regions where homosexuality is illegal and activists face significant risks. 

KIOS was one of the first supporters of the Global South’s LGBTIQ+ movement in Finland. Already in the 2000s and 2010s, KIOS supported sporadic LGBTIQ+ projects in countries such as Kenya, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh. The alarming situation in East Africa has since led KIOS to prioritize supporting the LGBTIQ+ movement in the region. Since 2018, LGBTIQ´+ rights have been one of KIOS’s main themes in East Africa. 

Elina Vuola has long monitored the situation of LGBTIQ+ rights in Africa and maintained contact with local LGBTIQ+ activists. 

What is it like to support LGBTIQ+ organizations in countries where homosexual acts are illegal? 

“I don’t think about what LGBTIQ+ work is like for us as the funder, but what it’s like for the activists who take risks even at the cost of their lives. The pressure they work under – the mental pressure and the physical threat. What responsibility it entails. As funders, we need to understand that all the time and our role as funders to support them.” 

For a while, the situation in East Africa seemed more hopeful, and in Kenya, there was even hope that a KIOS-supported organization would have legally overturned colonial-era laws prohibiting homosexual acts. However, in the past year we have seen a huge setback for the LGBTIQ+ movement in both Uganda and Kenya. Uganda’s parliament passed what is described as the world’s harshest law, which not only bans homosexual acts but also the promotion of homosexuality. In certain situations, homosexual relationships can even be punishable by death. Similar legislation is now being pushed in Kenya, and the general atmosphere has quickly turned even more hostile. 

Now, the work has shifted to defending the existing rights. At the same time, the space for the LGBTIQ+ movement to operate has shrunk. 

“The situation is extremely difficult, but I have not encountered a more dynamic movement than the LGBTIQ+ movement in these countries. Activists have experienced so much and operated for so long in a challenging environment. No matter how criminalized the activity is, there are always actors. The broader human rights movement could learn so much from them,” says Elina. 

 

Meeting with a KIOS grantee NGLHRC in Nairobi in 2022

LGBTQ+ Rights at the Heart of KIOS’s Work 

Why does KIOS support LGBTIQ+ rights? 

“KIOS’s strategic focus in East Africa arose from the fact that LGBTIQ+ persons are in an extremely vulnerable position in the region. At times the operational space has been better, allowing organizations to receive support and operate more easily. Still, the LGBTIQ+ movement has received much less international funding in comparison to the broader human rights movement. Because they are in a vulnerable position and their situation changes in waves, it is even more important that the support for the movement is long-term,” Elina notes. 

She is pleased that the number of LGBTIQ+ organizations in East Africa has increased. 

“There are also more actors outside the capitals who can influence structures rather than just provide services,” she says. KIOS is increasingly known in the region as a supporter of the LGBTIQ+ movement, leading to more LGBTIQ+ organizations reaching out to KIOS for funding. 

Activism in Challenging Conditions 

When supporting LGBTIQ+ organizations in countries where homosexual acts are illegal, it is crucial to stay closely connected with local activists. 

“What are the risks? What can be done and what cannot?” Elina describes. “What activities need funding? Don’t do anything without listening to the field.” 

“Do no harm – but do something” is an important principle. The principle of “Nothing About Us Without Us,” popularized by the disability movement, equally applies to LGBTIQ+ work. 

The funder’s role is to understand the situation on the ground and support the safety and well-being of activists. 

“It is also important to highlight the situation of LGBTIQ+ rights and the responsibility of the international community,” Elina says. In KIOS’s work, protection and supporting the well-being of activists have become central as the opportunities for organizations to operate have diminished. Activists need psychological support – it is also crucial for the operation and sustainability of the movement. 

 

At UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneve with PEMA Kenya’s Ishmael Bahati

Support for LGBTIQ+ Persons’ Own Organizations 

Supporting the organizations of LGBTIQ+ activists is important because they have the best understanding of their own situation. 

“They can best assess human rights violations and how to operate on the ground and what risks are involved,” Elina notes. 

“In Finland, a lot of mainstream human rights work is supported. I realized that KIOS is unique in that we support the work of local LGBTIQ+ activists on their own terms,” she explains. 

She believes it is also important to support organizations that include LGBTIQ+ perspectives in their work, even if they operate in a broader field. Such LGBTIQ+inclusive organizations can create change, especially when the LGBTIQ+ movement is under pressure and cannot operate properly. 

“For example, in Uganda, we have supported an organization that has always considered the situation of LGBTIQ+ persons when advocating for improvements in health rights.” 

What has Elina learned from supporting the LGBTIQ+ movement? 

“I learn all the time. Situations change very quickly, and partners face different challenges. It is not enough to hear from one partner – for example, the situation in remote areas is very different from the capital. The possibilities for action depend on the type of work the organization does. Some face more opposition than others,” Elina explains. 

Hopes and the Future 

Currently, the LGBTIQ+ activists supported by KIOS feel despair. The global anti-gender movement receives a lot of money, and the local LGBTIQ+ movement struggles to counter the massive influence of the anti-gender movement. LGBTIQ+ activists hope funders will continue their support even if the legislation in the receiving countries tightens. 

“The local LGBTIQ+ movement fears that funders will withdraw instead of thinking together with the movement about what can be done,” Elina describes. 

Diplomats and funders can support in various ways, but the most important thing is to ask local activists what they need. 

KIOS aims to bring local activists to speak about their situation themselves, and when that is not possible, to amplify the message of the activists supported by KIOS to the rest of the world. 

What Does KIOS Do to Support the LGBTIQ+ Movement? 

  • Seeks out and funds organizations led by LGBTIQ+ persons, even in countries where the activities of the LGBTIQ+ movement are restricted.
  • Supports information exchange and peer support between the LGBTIQ+ movement and the broader human rights movement.
  • Participates in joint advocacy, communication, and alliance-building between the LGBTIQ+ movement and funders.
  • Aims to influence mainstream human rights organizations receiving funding to respect and promote the human rights of LGBTIQ+ persons.
  • Supports the safety of all human rights defenders, including LGBTIQ+ activists, comprehensively in all its activities, such as through financial support to organizations, training, and advocacy work.