LEGABIBO on June being the LGBTIQ+ Pride month
The auspices of a project in 1998 founded by a group of LGBTIQ individuals, sparked a freedom movement — a call to action that continues to inspire us to live up to the United Nations’ promise of equality, liberty, and justice for all.
PRIDE is a time to recall the trials the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ+) community has endured and to rejoice in the triumphs of trailblazing individuals who have bravely fought — and continue to fight — for full equality. PRIDE is both a jubilant communal celebration of visibility and a personal celebration of selfworth and dignity. A cornerstone of all LGBTIQ+ organisations to empower and recognise the valuable contributions of LGBTIQ+ individuals, an opportunity that is at LEGABIBO’s heart with its long track record for strategic litigation and human rights defense.
Pride month is also particularly important to the LGBTIQ+ community in Botswana because of the unanimous decision, on 11 June 2019, of Justices A.B Tafa, M Leburu and J. Dube to decriminalize same-sex sexual acts/ conduct among consenting adults
in private. For the community, this anniversary marks both a moment of celebration and pause. We celebrate the milestones we have made both as an organisation, and as a movement, from being refused registration, to being a legally registered society, to the repel of sections 164 (a) and (c) and 165 of the penal code. It is also a moment of pause because we know from experience working with the LGBTIQ+ community that homophobia is not a thing of the past, prejudice and violence continues to this day, so now more than ever, we work tirelessly to protect what we have already achieved and to progress further towards the realisation of human rights for all people regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity.
This year, as the covid pandemic rages, we have seen the deadliest incidents of violence against the LGBTIQ community across the world. As we commemorate two years of Decrim, we also stand in solidarity with LGBTIQ people across the world who continue to be brutalised, raped, and killed for simply existing.
We call upon the government to adopt hate crime and hate speech laws that would help protect marginalised groups from hate, bias, prejudice, and intolerance.
With the above mentioned context in mind, in this month’s celebration of PRIDE we resound our “BEYOND THE RAINBOW” strategy launched in 2019 with an aim to nurture a comprehensive community led response for a deeper and wider impact on the society and communities of Botswana.
The strategy’s tactic is to promote, protect and defend the rights and wellbeing of the LGBTIQ+ societies to ensure an all-inclusive political, social, and economic environment where human rights are core to the development of our society.
The strategy impacts on the social fabric, the state’s laws, policies and practices, and the systems and services. Through strengthening our community and movement, and engaging with strategic partners,
government, and the public, to promote inclusive human rights and development in our society the strategy will give a realisation of the freedom of our movement.
It is therefore during this PRIDE month that LEGABIBO will be running a campaign themed PRIDE – Our Legacy, Our Honour that will share the organisation’s ideals, achievements and further introduce its leadership and people to Batswana and the world.
Our Beyond-the-Rainbow strategy is guided and overseen by a
skilled and committed board, which is elected from our membership. We have a secretariat led by experienced human rights defenders, development professionals and activists, and over the years, have built up a pool of skilled volunteers who play a key role in implementing our work.
Over the these days, be on the lookout for Our Legacy, Our Honour campaign that aims to impact the essence of the PRIDE month.
Be part of the Legacy, Celebrate PRIDE month with us.