Mon 5 Oct 2015 In: International News View at Wayback View at NDHA
A Ugandan out lesbian and LGBT rights activist has won the international Right Livelihood Award - widely known as the ‘alternative Nobel Prize’. Not an award for the world's political, scientific or economic elite, this is an award for the people and their work and struggles for a better future and is awarded to those who would not usually gain conventional recognition for their dedication to combating the world's struggles. Recognised "...for her courage and persistence, despite violence and intimidation, in working for the right of LGBTI people to a life free from prejudice and persecution”, Kasha Jacqueline Nabagesera has shed light on human rights violations, and has successfully used the judicial system to advance LGBT rights in Uganda. "The Right Livelihood Award means a tremendous honour and recognition of the work that I and a handful of other activists started over 10 years ago,” says Nabagesera. “In many ways things have gotten worse in Uganda with more open persecution during that time. On the other hand, we are more visible now. Everyone knows what kuchu is (slang for LGBT). The Award will support the work to protect our community and hopefully open some doors for dialogue with those who still don’t understand why human rights belong to everyone, regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity." Nabagesera founded the NGO Freedom and Roam Uganda, an organisation that advocates and lobbies for policy change of discriminatory laws, researches and documents human rights abuses, shares information to sensitise the LGBT community and entire population about issues of sexual orientation and gender identity, and engages in grassroots organising to empower and mobilise the LGBT community to assert their rights and lead healthy lives.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 5th October 2015 - 10:04am