National gay & lesbian human rights commission

Location: Kenya

Focus: Campaigning for LGBTQI equality

Website: https://www.nglhrc.com

NGLHRC identified the need for a national legal aid response that would challenge and prevent discrimination based on SOGIE in Kenya. They provide this, promoting and protecting the equality and inclusion of LGBTQI individuals and communities.

A high-profile legal campaign, led by the Kenyan LGBTQI movement including NGLHRC, was struck down in May 2019 when the High Court of Kenya refused to declare colonial-era laws criminalising same-sex conduct between consenting adults as unconstitutional. Kenya thus remains one of the 29 African countries that continue to criminalise queer lives. 

Homophobia remains pervasive in the country, with religious leaders promoting conservatism and a reverence for ‘African values’ that are presented as hostile to sexual and gender diversity. This has a deeply negative impact on public opinion which hinders the progress of inclusion and non-discrimination, directly affecting the lives of queer Kenyans.

In 2021, GiveOut’s grant will support NGLHRC as they take a multi-pronged approach to advancing the meaningful participation of LGBTQI people in Kenyan society. They offer free legal advice through their legal aid centre, carry out community outreach, offer country-wide education programmes and paralegal training; and conduct sensitisation training with police, health and legal staff, among others. 

GiveOut is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (Registered Charity Number 1176434).