UGANDA LGBTQ URGENT ACTION FUND

URGENT UPDATE!!!!!! President Museveni signed the Anti-LGBTQ Bill into law and it's just fueling more violence and attacks against LGBTQ in Uganda more particularly Trans Women that are very fragile and vulnerable. Please keep making donations so that we can raise enough funds to assist all LGBTQ people whose lives are in danger now to survive because it's clear now that Museveni's agenda is to erase all LGBTQ in Uganda.

I'm Julienne, a Trans Activist and Advocate currently participating in the Human Rights Advocates Program (HRAP)2022-23 of the Institute for the Study of Human Rights of Columbia University in New York City. I'm so deeply concerned, and my heart is deeply saddened, by the situation of the LGBTQ Community in Uganda after the Parliament passed this month the world's harshest Anti-LGBTQ bill that criminalizes anyone identifying as LGBTQ+ and threatens them with the death penalty and, in some cases, 10 years in jail.

LGBTQ people in Uganda have been going through a lot with so much oppression, discrimination, and violence in a country undermined by homophobia fueled by the media and political and religious leaders' hate speech. Many LGBTQ people have been illegally arrested by the Police and many activists have been killed with no justice because of their sexual orientation.

This Anti-LGBTQ bill is not only a huge violation of Human Rights but it will worsen violence against LGBTQ people in Uganda by fueling more hate against not only LGBTQ people but also all LGBTQ Organizations and allies that support LGBTQ Rights in Uganda. The LAST HOPE REFUGEE ASSOCIATION (LHRA) is an LGBTQ NGO that provides important community support by advocating for, strengthening, empowering, and improving the lives of the LGBTQ Community throughout Uganda. Its executive director, Laurent Shabambo, is a great friend of mine and an LGBTQ activist devoted to the rights, wellness, and equality of LGBTQ people in Uganda. He and his team at the LAST HOPE REFUGEE ASSOCIATION work so hard to promote the rights and treatment of the LGBTQ Community in a country where political activism based on sexual identity frequently leads to persecution, torture, and death. But since Friday, March 24th, the landlord whose local they were renting for their office canceled the lease, threatening to call and report them to the police for "promoting homosexuality." Since then, Laurent and his team have received anonymous phone calls threatening to kill them if they don't shut down their Organization and stop promoting homosexuality. Meanwhile, 25 LGBTQ folks, including 10 Trans folks, have reached out to the Organization for urgent assistance in this context of violent attacks everywhere in Uganda against LGBTQ people, worsened by the Anti-LGBTQ bill.

The funds raised will be sent to the LAST HOPE REFUGEE ASSOCIATION which will help Laurent and his team find a safe space for their Organization office and urgently assist all 25 LGBTQ individuals, among whom 18 are now homeless and 7 others are arrested, in terms of:

1. Emergency Shelter as all 18 LGBTQ Folks leases were canceled by landlords

fearing to be arrested as the Anti-LGBTQ bill threatens landlords

who rent premises to LGBTQ people with a prison sentence.

2. Food and medical expenses,

3. Legal fees and bail for 7 LGBTQ folks arrested.

Can you imagine today in the USA, the Congress passing an anti-LGBTQ bill that will make everyone identifying as LGBTQ a criminal facing the death penalty? And that will shut down all the LGBTQ Organizations, foundations, and businesses such as LGBTQ bars and clubs by threatening them with a 10-year jail sentence for promoting homosexuality! This can sound crazy and impossible here in the USA, right? So imagine that this is happening in Uganda now, and the trauma and emotional distress that LGBTQ people there are going through now! That's why today I call and urge the International Community and the United Nations to take rapid action to put pressure on the President of Uganda to not sign but stop this Anti-LGBTQ bill that will cause massive violations of Human Rights against LGBTQ people in UGANDA and I call out all the LGBTQ Community around the world, all the allies, the Human Rights Organizations around the World, all the Civil Rights Activists and everyone that believes in Freedom and values Diversity and Inclusivity to stand in support with the LGBTQ Community in UGANDA and make a donation today and make a positive change in the lives of LGBTQ people in UGANDA. Thank you!

You can visit the LAST HOPE REFUGEE ASSOCIATION social media platforms and feel free to reach out to them if you have any questions at :

-Website: https://www.lasthoperefugeeassociation.org/

-Twitter: @LastHopeRefugee