COSIR kenya

7 Years since the murder of David Kato, a Ugandan LGBTQ rights activist. David Kato, a Ugandan LGBTQ rights activist, is considered a father of Uganda’s gay rights movement. He was beaten to death on Jan. 26, 2011 in a case that some blame on anti-gay religious rhetoric. It is especially important to carry on Kato’s legacy now with legal rights diminishing for LGBTQ people in many places across the Africa. Laws against homosexuality made news in Africa countries such as Uganda, Nigeria and Gambia. Many have heard of the 45 Ugandan Martyrs who were killed for their Christian faith and canonized as saints. Kato can be seen as a new kind of Ugandan martyr, killed for the cause of LGBTQ equality. American evangelicals helped stir up the hostility that led to Kato’s death because they promoted a law imposing the death penalty for homosexuality. The influence of the US evangelical movement in promoting the anti-homosexuality law is explored in the award-winning 2013 docu...

Is it time we listened to gay people? gay people in Kenya continue to face stigma and discrimination My first homosexual experience happened with a male friend at the age of nineteen. We came across an older man lying on the ground, bleeding and crying profusely. We helped him to his feet while he explained through tears that he had meant no harm. He had simply made a pass at another man and that man’s response was to beat him almost to a pulp. Reflecting back on that incident in the context of the current case before High Court, I cannot express how far we have come as a country. A few years back, an opinion poll noted that 86 per cent of Kenyans were okay living next to neighbours of a different ethnicity, religion or who had HIV/Aids. By contrast, only 14 per cent would be comfortable living next to people who were gay or lesbian. Stigma and persecution of gay communities makes it impossible to estimate the size of the community. They are one of our most invisible communi...

ANOTHER RUTHLESS ATTACK TO THE LGBTIQ  COMMUNITY IN KAKUMA REFUGEE CAMP . By Mbaziira moses The LGBTIQ refugees in Kakuma refugee camp - kenya who were at their allocated community of residence today at 9:00pm have been attacked, injured and beaten mercilessly nearly to death by the homophobic and merciless refugees (particularly Somalians) who expressed reason for the action as  HATRED TO  HOMOSEXUALS . Also read: A call to support suffering LGBTIQ refugees in kenya   The vunerable LGBTIQ group who are stuck in anticipated fear for their lives at this time, they stand in realms of pain for a lesbian colleague who was beaten until she was unconscious and was rushed to hospital by IRC's ambulance when her life was almost coming an end.

Hello world, Hope this message finds you well. Greetings from the COSIR team, We appreciate the good work you’re doing towards humanity and most particularly the LGBTIQ community. COSIR is an acronym for Community Support Initiative for Refugees; a registered LGBTIQ refugee led and centered Community Based Organization initiated early last year with a motive of engaging LGBTIQ refugees in Kenya into safe livelihood activities, Carrying out awareness and sensitization to promote equality and Co-existence. The organization also provides safe housing to the most vulnerable LGBTIQ refugees and refugees with emergency and special cases such as survivors of rape, HIV positive persons, colleagues who have been evicted from rental houses among others. Also Read: UNHCR to cut-off Financial Assistance from LGBTIQ refugees in Nairobi We are writing to seek a hand from your side in our work as we work hard to achieve economic independence and self-reliance among LGBTIQ refugees in Nair...

Ugandan artist Vincent Kyabayinze portrays the risk of a rendezvous with an unknown person. (Artwork courtesy of Vincent Kyabayinze)   Gay men need to be less horny and more cautious. By Denis Nzioka Gay dating apps, which have grown immensely popular within the community of gay men in Nairobi, Kenya, are currently the riskiest method for arranging a rendezvous. Cases of victims who are kidnapped, beaten, and robbed continually demonstrate that those apps are a cancer that refuses to heal. Some of these cases involve sexual assault. Some end in rape. The advent of gay dating apps such as Grindr, Hornet, and Manjam was hailed as a success story – gay men could, from the comfort of their phones, seek partners, relationships, meet, and even arrange for sexual activity with other gay men. Gone are the days when gay men had to scout bars or corners on the streets or bushes to engage in romance, foreplay, or actual sex. It was a welcome change – so welcome that Tinder,...