Official websites use. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. In recent years, gender and sexual minorities have become increasingly visible across sub-Saharan Africa, marking both the progression and violation of their human rights.
Using data from a study with sexual minorities in Lesotho, this analysis leveraged the social ecological model to examine relationships between stigma, human rights, and sexual health among women who have sex with women in Lesotho. A community-based participatory approach was used for the mixed-method, cross-sectional study. A total of women who have sex with women completed a structured questionnaire, of which 21 participated in a total of three focus group discussions.
Stigma was common within and outside the health sector. Interventions to address stigma at the structural, community, and interpersonal levels are essential to ensuring sexual health and rights for women who have sex with women in Lesotho. Keywords: women who have sex with women, Lesotho, sexual health, human rights, mixed methods. Las intervenciones para abordar el estigma a nivel estructural, comunitario e interpersonal son esenciales para asegurar salud y derechos sexuales para las mujeres que tienen relaciones sexuales con mujeres en Lesoto.
Same-sex practices have existed in sub-Saharan Africa since long before European colonial powers arrived and introduced sodomy laws.
These backlashes continue, as seen in new laws and constitutional amendments to preclude sexual minority rights in Uganda, Nigeria, Malawi, and Burundi, amongst others. In their recent publication, Born Free and Equal , 8 the United Nations Human Rights Commission UNHRC asserts that the legal obligations of States to safeguard the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex LGBTI people are well established in international human rights law and called on States to meet five core obligations including: protection from homophobic violence; prevention of cruel and degrading treatment; decriminalization of homosexuality; prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation; and respect for freedom of expression and association.
