For those of you who might remember my welfare brief, I will be working on HIV/AIDS prevention in Uganda with an NGO called the Uganda Development and Health Associates. This post will be a more in-depth brief, or reflection, on how the recent Anti-Homosexuality Bill, signed into law December 2013 by the President of Uganda himself, might be bringing Uganda "backwards."
President Museveni.
Esteemed by many to be charismatic, and a leader worthy of the great nation he leads. Attributed with having led Uganda as a forefront country in the battle against HIV/AIDS, he led the movement that soon enough, led to the "Uganda miracle," namely, the drop in HIV prevalence rate from 31% in the 1980s to 6% in 2012. Although 6% is still a huge percentage of the population living with HIV/AIDS, this sharp decrease marks Uganda one of the few countries in Africa to have achieved such gains.
Today, though, President Museveni no longer emerges as the fearless leader who spoke out against stigma and gender inequity. Rather, today, he speaks out against homosexuality -- the promotion of it, the practice of it, whatever.
Globally, gay men are about 13 times as likely to have HIV. This is huge. How will further indicting homosexuality as a serious crime, punishable by jail time, allow Uganda to continue its emergence as a country successfully fighting AIDS? Exactly, it won't. How will making it illegal for organizations to help and offer its services to LGBTQ individuals, help the AIDS epidemic? Again, it won't. Instead, it is pretty obvious that it will do the exact opposite. The irony in this great man having once spoken out against stigma against the disease, is now perpetuating what should be the outdated stigmas associated with it.
The problem complicates further, when considering how one President's actions can translate into provisions for the citizens of the country. UNAIDS and global funding agencies for development have warned countries like Uganda of the consequences of anti-homosexuality bans. After the bill in Uganda passed, for example, the World Bank withdrew $90 million in funding for health services. Sadly, there are many other countries with similar situations.
Of course, during my practice experience, I will have to exhibit great care when routing conversations regarding the bill, and Museveni's role in it. I fear the disheartenment I might feel if UDHA mandated a rule against LGBTQ individuals from entering its health centers. Still, as a guest to both the NGO and to the nation of Uganda, I will have to respect the rules of both, and take care to seem at most, neutral, on the issue. At least, so I think.
As a member of the LGBT community, news like this devastates me. I am extremely saddened by the lack of social progress and hatred towards members of my community as well as the implications for Uganda. Due to this bill many things will happen. The fist is the level of discrimination and various stigmas against queers will increase. LGBT people will be incarcerated and the possibility for a anti-queer social movement, such as the one seen in Russia, might arise. The second will the lack of aid Uganda receives. As stated above, cuts to funding has already began. With this Uganda might see a rise in HIV/AIDS rates or might even encounter more problems due to the lack of development aid. These are just two examples of the many issues a bill like this introduces. Hate is not the right solution to Uganda's problems and President Museveni really needs to reanalyze his actions.
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