Reflections from the PAI 5th Regional Conference

Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) held its largest-ever African regional conference on 27 August to 31 August 2021, for and by the LGBTIQ+ community. The conference brought together over a thousand delegates from across the five regions on the African continent, the Americas and Europe.

The theme“Reclaiming our Past – Defining our Future”, tackled key emerging issues affecting the LGBTIQ+ community on the African continent. Among other related topics, this included the intersectionality of struggles; decriminalisation; funding for LGBTIQ+ communities; and religion and LGBTIQ+ rights.

“PAI holds biennial regional conferences, which are very important for the advocacy role the organisation plays on the African continent. Not only are the forums themselves important to determine the learnings and direction the network should be taking, but also the communication, media, and networking that comes from these events are invaluable.” Nate Brown, the Executive Director of Pan Africa ILGA mentioned during his opening speech at the conference.

One of the key reflections from the conference was the continued criminalisation of the LGBTIQ+ community in Ghana. In a tribute session to Ghana key activists reflected on what’s been happening in the country and what can be done.

In Ghana, police arrested 21 members of the LGBTIQ+ community during a crackdown on homosexuality in May for attending an LGBTIQ+ event. In early August, a bill was introduced in parliament to further restrict the rights of LGBTIQ+ people. It includes criminalising the defense of LGBTIQ+ rights, a duty to report “suspects”, the promotion of conversion therapy, and the imposition of harsher prison sentences for homosexuality.

The mental health of the LGBTIQ+ community on the African continent is an emerging issue that came out of the conference. Speakers cited how the continued criminalisation of the LGBTIQ+ community on the African continent has resulted in many activists and advocates being affected by the overall increase in human rights violations.

“There is this prevalent idea, or belief amongst African people surrounding mental health. We have been conditioned to think that we do not have depression or mental health conditions, as those are ‘white people diseases’. And as such, that has contributed to us, as the queer community (Trans community specifically) and as Africans to denounce that we might be suffering from these very conditions.” Barbra Wangare, the Executive Director of East Africa Trans Health and Advocacy Network (EATHAN) and outgoing PAI Board member mentioned during a session on mental health.

“We have seen evidence where LGBTIQ+ persons have been made the scapegoat for the spread of HIV/AIDS and COVID-19. The LGBTIQ+ community has had to endure through the pandemic with no means to an end, deteriorating health, and continued struggles of stigma and discrimination. We have lost many lives, some very near and dear to us, but we are here, and we exist. Our commitment to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing global landscape and to persevere in the face of uncertainty is stronger than ever.” Nate Brown stated during the conference.

The conference had four plenary sessions and six satellite sessions each day. More than 109 speakers took part from the five regions of the African continent. We were determined to make the conference a uniquely Pan African conference.

By having over 1,000 delegates, the conference was able to break the isolation that many of our members have experienced due to the lockdowns resulting from the Covid-19. What is important to remember is that our LGBTIQ+ community is marginalised in some countries and Covid-19 increased this marginalisation.

The conference was supported by The Baring Foundation; Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice; Foundation for a Just Society (FJS) and COC Nederland through the Power of Pride program.