August 1, 2014 | New York
The Constitutional Court of Uganda has declared today the passing of the Anti-Homosexuality Bill into Act as null and void. The panel of five judges unanimously nullified the Anti-Homosexuality Act on grounds that it was passed without the required quorum in Parliament on 20 December 2013.
The challenge against the Act, signed by President Yoweri Museveni last February, was brought by human rights activists, journalists, academics, and parliamentarians. Among the plaintiffs in the case was Hon. Fox Odoi-Oywelowo, Member of Parliament of Uganda and Member of Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA), who welcomed the supremacy of the Rule of Law and the principle of non-discrimination over an ideological piece of legislation that could not be implemented in a modern, law-abiding nation as Uganda is.
“This has been a very good day. Now we have to deal with the issues that give rise to homophobic legislation. We have to work on the mindset of the people of Uganda,” said Hon. Odoi-Oywelowo in a telephone conversation after the ruling. “The battle is won, but not the war. We need to deal with homophobia conclusively and no longer hide our heads in the sand,” added Hon. Odoi-Oywelowo.
Hon. Odoi-Oywelowo also expressed his appreciation for the broad support from PGA, the international community, local activists, and from the people of Uganda.
Reacting to this development, Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the Chamber of Deputies of Dominican Republic and Chair of PGA’s International Council, joined PGA in welcoming this good news and highlighted it as an encouraging sign to continue fighting discriminatory laws around the world. “Democracy cannot exist if there is discrimination. Every person is entitled to all rights regardless of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (LGBTI) people continue to be marginalized in our countries and I’m very glad that Hon. Odoi-Oywelowo, whom I met last year in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, had the courage to speak up for all those excluded.”
Gender, Equality and Population Program
Program Contact:
Mónica Adame
Senior Program Officer
monica.adame@pgaction.org
+1-646-762-7295
