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Donors against vote on gay rights

 

Representatives of the country’s bilateral and multilateral partners have said no to the Malawi Government’s plan to hold a referendum on minority rights.

The development partners outlined their position during their turn at a consultation meeting organised by the tax-payer funded human rights watchdog, the Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC), in Lilongwe, to solicit views from various stakeholders to inform government and the commission itself an appropriate way to implement the planned public inquiry on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) rights and issues as well as on LGBTI people in Malawi.

Making a presentation on Wednesday on behalf of the development partners, a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) official Neal Gilmore said the donors were not in support of the plan to subject the matter to public opinion or views as proposed by MHRC.

Gilmore (L) briefing the MHRC consultative meeting

He argued that because of the fact that human rights are universal and inalienable, it would be illegal for the MHRC and government to organise a referendum or do anything that would subject the matter to public opinion.

Gilmore recommended a human rights-based approach to the matter.

He also chided activists who coined the term LGBTI rights, arguing these are not different from any other human rights.

Gilmore also wondered whether it was appropriate for the commission to conduct a public inquiry on the transgender and intersex (TI) sector, saying, in the donors’ opinion, there has never been any research on this group and the challenges they face.

The donors, civil society organisations (CSOs), human rights activists, faith and religious leaders are among the key stakeholders MHRC has targeted in its consultation process.

Earlier, the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) secretary general the Reverend Father Henry Saindi and Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) chairperson the Reverend Zacc Kawalala wondered why debate on the matter was still ensuing when one of the former Solicitors Generals told the nation that a research had shown that Malawians were opposed to LGBTI rights and issues.

Yesterday, MHRC board chairperson Justin Dzonzi refused to comment on the recommendations, saying, at this stage, the commission is merely soliciting views from the stakeholders.

But in an earlier interview, Dzonzi commended the groups for their input. He assured the commission’s commitment to maintaining professionalism and impartiality in the whole process.

On Wednesday, some CSOs and human rights activists snubbed an MHRC invitation to attend consultative meetings to find an appropriate way to conduct a public inquiry on minority rights.

In a letter dated August 15 2017 signed by 12 CSOs addressed to MHRC, the parties stress that human rights should never be put to a referendum or any other process that will result in some findings based on numbers or statistics.

Reads the letter in part: “Human rights are inalienable and cannot be bestowed or removed by the decision of the majority.”

According to a Seven-Site Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) HIV Prevalence, Socio-behavioural and Population Size Estimation study released at the end of 2014, there were 38 734 people who engage in homosexual activities, representing 1.84 percent of the overall male population aged 20 to 39 years in Malawi.

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One Comment

  1. So mr Gilmore you want Malawians not to go on referendum on LGBT, and yet in republic of Ireland they did and even in Northern Ireland are not recognized in some rights, Go around Switzerland,Sweden Belgium even German the party for the christians Ruling part encouraging this stupid idea… you want to take advantages on the poor Malawians exchanging Donations with our culture traditional and moral. of which we believe in the God who doesn’t sleep. Why Europeans you are coming with your silly I deas in Africa? Why are you encouraging depopulation?why are you against Gods will? Why do you want still control AFRICANS IN AN IN DIRECT DICTATORSHIP WAY?(if you don’t do this no donations) we don’t hate LGBT but its not our culture please.. it cant be in our constitution and it shall never…these human rights groups are individuals mudzawapweteketsa…. and the Gvt can not just wake up and imposes this nonsense!!!!!!!!

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