US Nonprofit Denies Connection to Rising Anti-LGBTQ Laws in Africa
Activists have accused the US nonprofit organization Family Watch International and its founder Sharon Slater of promoting anti-LGBTQ laws in Uganda, Kenya, and Ghana. The group, which claims to promote "family values," has denied these allegations. The rise in anti-LGBTQ legislation in Africa, including Uganda's harsh laws that include the death penalty, has led to an increase in the number of Ugandans seeking asylum in Kenya. The proposed Kenyan Family Protection Bill, which would criminalize gay sex and ban LGBTQ Africans from seeking asylum, has further marginalized the queer community in Kenya. Despite international backlash, Kenyan lawmakers are pushing forward with the bill. LGBTQ activists and asylum seekers in Africa continue to face persecution and discrimination, while organizations like Family Watch International face accusations of contributing to the oppression of the LGBTQ community.