Uganda’s harsh anti-gay law, which imposes the death penalty for some same-sex acts, has put the country’s relationship with the World Bank under strain. The bank has suspended new funding for Uganda until it can ensure that its projects do not discriminate against or harm lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people.
The bank’s head for eastern and southern Africa, Victoria Kwakwa, told Reuters that the bank’s project documents will clarify that LGBTI Ugandans should not face discrimination and that staff will not be arrested for including them. She said the government had agreed to these measures but did not give a timeline for resuming new funding.
The World Bank’s decision to halt new financing, which amounted to $5.2 billion at the end of 2022, was announced in August, shortly after President Yoweri Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act (AHA) into law. Human rights groups, foreign governments, and international organizations have widely condemned the law as violating basic human dignity and equality.
The AHA states that the nation’s capacity to deal with “emerging internal and external threats to the traditional, heterosexual family” must be enhanced and that Ugandans need protection against activists who “promote” homosexuality. The law defines “aggravated homosexuality” as same-sex intercourse involving someone who is HIV positive or under the age of 18 and prescribes the death penalty for such offenses. Other homosexual acts can lead to life imprisonment. The law also criminalizes “promotion of homosexuality” by individuals or organizations, with fines of up to 1 billion shillings ($268,500).
The law has sparked a wave of violence and persecution against LGBTI people in Uganda, mostly by private individuals. According to a report by Human Rights Watch and Sexual Minorities Uganda, at least 20 LGBTI people have been arrested since the law was enacted, and many more have faced physical attacks, evictions, blackmail, and loss of employment. Some have fled the country or gone into hiding.
The World Bank is not the only donor who reacted to Uganda’s anti-gay law. Several countries, including the United States, Britain, Sweden, and Norway, have cut or redirected some of their aid to Uganda. The European Union has also launched a review of its relations with Uganda. The Ugandan government has accused these donors of hypocrisy and interference, saying that homosexuality contradicts its culture and values.
However, some analysts have questioned this argument, pointing out that Uganda inherited its original anti-gay laws from Britain, its former colonial power. They have also noted that some Ugandan lawmakers and religious leaders have been influenced by US evangelical groups campaigning against LGBTI rights in Africa. Moreover, they have argued that Uganda’s anti-gay law violates its own constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression, association, and liberty.
The World Bank has said that its decision to suspend new funding is based on its commitment to the principle of “leaving no one behind” in the effort to end poverty and inequality. The bank has cited evidence that LGBTI people suffer lower education outcomes, higher unemployment rates, and lack of access to adequate housing, health, and financial services due to discrimination and exclusion. The bank has also stressed the need for more data on the lives and experiences of LGBTI people in developing countries.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the challenges that sexual and gender minorities face in crisis situations. A joint report by the World Bank and Equal Rights Association for Western Balkans and Turkey (ERA) found that COVID-19 disproportionately impacted vulnerable groups, including LGBTI people. The pandemic exacerbated pre-existing inequalities, making it more difficult for those from vulnerable groups to access essential services, especially health.
The World Bank hopes that its engagement with Uganda will help improve the situation of LGBTI people and foster a more inclusive and sustainable development. The bank has also expressed willingness to support civil society organizations working on LGBTI issues in Uganda.
Source: Reuters
