LGBTI people in Swaziland
are subjected to abuse in their daily lives and from police and medical
workers, a meeting on human rights in the kingdom was told.
Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender
and intersex people are also harassed and stigmatised and some are denied
educational scholarships because of their sexual orientation.
Pitty Dludlu, a member of
the LGBTI community, said this during the annual Joshua Mzizi Memorial Lecture
held in Ezulwini.
The Observer on Saturday newspaper reported (9 December 2017), ‘Dludlu
appealed to the nation to embrace all individuals in their own skin than to
label them with numerous name tags. Dludlu further said as a minority group in
Swaziland they face a number of issues that include access to health care
without the stigma and prejudice they are subjected to.’
The newspaper added, ‘Dludlu
further decried the service they are subjected to in the hands of the police
and health care workers as the worse abusers of the LGBTI community. The
abusive situation is worse at the bus terminal station to the LGBTI community.
‘Other challenges are that
they are denied scholarship due to their sexual orientation. Dludlu further
pointed that “qualified transgender community are unemployed as they are told
point blank that there is no need to proceed with an interview once they see
their sexual orientation and told embarrassingly that they don’t hire such
people”’.
There is a long history of discrimination
against LGBTI people. In May 2016, Rock of Hope, which
campaigns for LGBTI equality in Swaziland, reported
to the United Nations Universal Periodic Review on Swaziland that laws,
social stigma and prejudice prevented LGBTI organisations from operating
freely.
The report, presented jointly with three South
African-based organisations, stated, ‘In Swaziland sexual health rights of
LGBTI are not protected. There is inequality in the access to general health
care, gender affirming health care as opposed to sex affirming health care and
sexual reproductive health care and rights of these persons. HIV prevention,
testing, treatment and care services continue to be hetero-normative in nature
only providing for specific care for men born as male and women born as female,
thereby leaving out trans men and women as an unprotected population which
continues to render the state’s efforts at addressing the spread and incidence
of HIV within general society futile.’
The report added, ‘LGBTIs are discriminated and
condemned openly by society. This is manifest in negative statements uttered by
influential people in society e.g., religious, traditional and political
leaders. Traditionalists and conservative Christians view LGBTIs as against
Swazi tradition and religion. There have been several incidents where
traditionalists and religious leaders have issued negative statements about
lesbians.
‘Human rights abuses and violations against members of
the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex population continue to go
undocumented, unreported, unprosecuted and not addressed.’
It added, ‘There is no legislation recognizing LGBTIs
or protecting the right to a non-heterosexual orientation and gender identity
and as a result LGBTI cannot be open about their orientation or gender identity
for fear of rejection and discrimination. For example, the Marriage Act, only
recognizes a marriage or a union between a man and a woman. Because of the
absence of a law allowing homosexuals to conclude neither marriage nor civil unions,
same-sex partners cannot adopt children in Swaziland.’
The report made seven recommendations to the Swazi
Government, including to review laws that undermine LGBTI persons’ rights in
particular and human rights in general especially as they conflict with the
Constitution; and to ensure prosecution of State agents who commit human rights
violations against LGBTI individuals and their organizations.
HOOP (House of Our Pride), a support group for LGBTI
people,
reported to the United Nation in 2011, ‘It is a common scene for LGBTI to
be verbally insulted by by-passers in public places. [There is] defamatory name
calling and people yelling out to see a LGBTI person’s reproductive part are
some of the issues facing LGBTI in Swaziland.’
See also
SENATE
SNUBS LGBTI HEALTH REPORT
LESBIAN
AND GAY MURDERS IN SWAZILAND
SWAZI
MINISTER LIES TO UN ON GAYS
GAY
PREJUDICE RIFE IN SWAZILAND
COMMUNITY
POLICE BANISH GAY MEN
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2013/08/community-police-banish-gay-men.html
NO RIGHTS FOR GAYS: JUSTICE MINISTER
NO RIGHTS FOR GAYS: JUSTICE MINISTER
http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/11/no-rights-for-gays-justice-minister.html
PRESS VILIFIED OVER LESBIAN’S DEATH
PRESS VILIFIED OVER LESBIAN’S DEATH
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