Recent gains are at risk, right now

The Anti-LGBTQIA+ movement in Africa is real, very well funded and organised. The situation in Uganda and the ripple effects that are happening across Africa, is testimony to that - we need to combat this from an angle of economic inclusive and economic justice.

Economic inclusion is justice

If we want to create a more equitable and just society, we must take a multifaceted approach that includes economic empowerment. Human rights and economic inclusion need to be thought of together. 

Old funding models must adapt to meet current needs

We need to change the funding norm of the past: transitioning from only supporting health & HIV - giving power directly to the people. QACC Africa’s approach is that “economic advocacy”, promoting economic inclusion, leading to economic development, will ultimately achieve societal integration for the LGBTQIA+ community, and allow LGBTQIA+ people to sustain their own lives, health, security and education, without relying upon “outside” support, restoring a sense of human dignity.

Anti-LGBTQIA sentiment has become a popular cultural flashpoint in political discourse

Minority groups have suffered persecution throughout global history and so we must learn from these past lessons. Globally, the issues of gender equality and equal access to health and education have been driving the “minority space”. However, queer people in Africa have often been exclude from these “all-encompassing support programs” because of stigma, bias and cultural homophobia. LGBTQIA+ people are facing mounting persecution and are now the “popular” topic for political and religious hate speech and discrimination. The only way for us to change this narrative is to empower the queer individuals directly through economic empowerment.

Advancing a renewed commitment to authentic queer inclusion

Globally, we need to commit to authentic queer inclusion: not just token gestures of support - we need to educate on the global unconscious bias against queer people, particularly queer people in Africa. LGBTQIA+ people suffer from lack of access to healthcare, education, training, banking & finance, even visas to attend conferences and workshops, however if empowered economically they become self-sustaining with their own brilliant, creative & unique business ventures. The billions of dollars of funding that comes into Africa to support all these important societal issues, often neglects or excludes queer people. The funding that is now becoming available to queer organizations and social entrepreneurs in Africa is a pin dropped into a haystack. Put simply, if a white person based in the West, wants to fund animal healthcare, there is plenty of funding opportunities available: for queer people in Africa however, we need to search far and wide for grants that are applicable, often for very small sums in comparison.