Today, BONELA joins the world in commemorating the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersex Discrimination, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), an international day of remembrance for LGBTIQA+ persons. In line with the 2023 IDAHOBIT theme, “Together always: united in diversity,” BONELA continues to lobby for the promotion, protection and fulfilment of the rights of the LGBTIQ community including rallying for inclusion and participation for LGBTIQA+ persons in all aspects including; community, religious settings, educational, work place and health care settings. Following this, BONELA continues to advocate for the following;
- Enactment of protective measures that guarantee the right to non-discriminatory access to quality HIV-related and other health services for all persons, including LGBTI persons.
- Implementation of specific policies, plans and frameworks (within existing policy documents or in separate policy documents) that outline how the government will ensure that LGBTI people have comprehensive and non-discriminatory access to HIV and TB-related health services.
- Given the practical challenges and the risk of rights violations when individuals have identity documents “mismatched” with their gender identity, section 16 of the National Registration Act should be interpreted to allow transgender persons to change the gender marker on their identity cards.
- Ensure that every case of violence, abuse against and victimisation of LGBTI persons is thoroughly investigated, and where appropriate, prosecuted.
- Lobbying for the Constitution to make specific reference to sexual orientation and gender identity as grounds for equality and non-discrimination.
- Further, BONELA advices that the Constitution should be revised to require that specific laws should be enacted to afford adequate protection to members of the LGBTIQ+ community.
#TogetherAlways #UnitedInDiversity
For more information, contact BONELA on:
Katlego Sechele at ksechele@bonela.org or 72282025
Cindy Kelemi at cindyk@bonela.org or 72385054