Last year political parties of the Africa Liberal Network (ALN) made a huge leap in the promotion and protection of human rights, including LGBTI rights, in Africa. During the Network’s historic 2014 General Assembly in Marrakech, Morocco, I had the honour of being a part of formulating the groundbreaking Marrakech Declaration – a Human Rights Framework for Africa, by Africans.
We are immensely proud that this Human Rights Framework commits our ALN member parties to fight against all forms of discrimination on any grounds, including race, gender and sexual orientation.
The fact that sexual orientation is included in the Declaration is a tremendous achievement for African liberals. It firmly entrenches our view that LGBTI rights are important, recognized, and above all that they are human rights and should form part of the ALN’s Human Rights Framework.
Regardless of sexuality, I believe that an African is an African. An African is a human, and must, therefore, be treated with the dignity, respect and the rights afforded to all humanity as envisioned by liberals. I am of the view that it is time to move on from all forms of colonial thought; I recognise and appreciate my LGBTI African brothers and sisters.
The 12 points of the Declaration are incredibly important to Human Rights in Africa. For the first time, over 40 African political parties gathered together and agreed on a Human Rights Framework.
Other critical areas that the Declaration covers include:
The issues and causes included in the Marrakech Declaration are of utmost importance and urgency in Africa. We believe that the ALN is the network that can truly champion Human Rights in Africa from a Liberal perspective. In this way, the Declaration also serves as a reference point for African governments, parties and governments-in-waiting to implement in policies and actions.
As African liberals, the ALN continues to lead the way in human rights in developing democracies on our continent of Africa, and we will continue to stand as a beacon of hope for all Africans. The ALN is a home for all, no matter his or her sexuality.
