Staff and supporters of American Jewish World Service hit the streets of New York City last week, joining the NYC Pride March and serving as the Jewish voice for LGBTI rights worldwide. My colleagues and I were so excited to show our pride, celebrate the latest victory in the struggle for marriage equality in the …
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Good news: A vote on Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill has been delayed once again. Despite a promise by the Ugandan speaker of parliament to deliver the bill as a “Christmas gift to the nation,” it was repeatedly downgraded on parliament’s agenda. Last Friday, parliament adjourned without taking action on the proposed legislation. It’s unclear whether the …
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As stories about the resurgence of Uganda’s anti-homosexuality bill inundate the blogosphere and international media, you could easily get the impression that Ugandans are rallying on the streets demanding the bill’s passage. In fact, the bill is not foremost on the average Ugandan’s mind. “They are thieves, stealing the money.” The young man shook his …
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Last week, the Anti-Homosexuality Bill was reintroduced to Uganda’s parliament. First drafted in 2009, the proposed legislation quickly gained infamy for its inhumane and draconian provisions. In addition to mandating the death penalty for those found guilty of “aggravated homosexuality,” it threatens jail sentences for those who “promote” homosexuality or fail to report persons suspected …
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When I woke up this morning to the amazing news that the Anti-Homosexuality Bill has been killed (at least for now), I started thinking about what made it possible and what lessons we might extrapolate for the human rights work that AJWS supports all around the world.
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