Nakigudde Hannah Margaret

Makerere University

Under the Shadow of the Anti-Homosexuality Law (2023): Experiences and Barriers to SRHR Access for Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer Women in Uganda

Biography

Nakigudde Hannah Margaret is a feminist activist and researcher with a profound commitment to LGBTQ rights and wellbeing. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in Women and Gender Studies at Makerere University and holds a Bachelor's degree of Social Work and Social Administration from the same university. Hannah works as the Monitoring and Evaluation officer at Freedom and Roam Uganda (FARUG), LBQ women led organization that works to promote the rights and welfare of LBQ women in Uganda. She also works as a Youth Panelist in the Make way program, a 5 year program implemented in 5 countries of Africa to promote access to SRHR for youth with compounded vulnerabilities such as LBQ women, youth with disabilities and rural youth among others. She is also a passionate writer and storyteller, using her creative talents to amplify the voices of marginalized communities.

Abstract

The study aimed at assessing the impact of the Anti Homosexuality Law (2023) on Lesbian, Bisexual and Queer (LBQ) women’s access to Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights and Services (SRHR) in Uganda. The study objectives were; to assess the impact of the law on access to SRHR services for LBQ women in Uganda, to document the experiences of LBQ women when accessing SRHR services in the context of the law and lastly, to identify strategies and recommendations for increasing LBQ women’s access to SRHR services. The study utilized qualitative methods to collect data from all four regions of the country. Primary data was collected using Focus Group Discussions and in-depth Interviews with LBQ women as well Key Informant Interviews with stakeholders like LBQ organization and shelter leaders and health workers while secondary data was sourced from existing reports. The study found that the law has had a negative effect on LBQ women’s access to SRHR in several ways for example; it led to closure of LBQ safe spaces that used to ease access to SRHR services and commodities, reduced LBQ women’s willingness to seek SRHR services due to fear of being, harassed and discriminated and reported to police by health workers among others. Ever since the enactment of the law, experiences of LBQ women accessing SRHR services have been mostly negative for instance, many had experienced dehumanizing interrogation and need to be affiliated to a man in order to access services, sexual harassment, insults and intimidation from health workers as well as subjection to conversion therapy. The study recommends that the Parliament of Uganda, the president of Uganda and the Ministry of Health support the nullifying of the Anti Homosexuality Law (2023) because it obstructs access to SRHR services to already marginalized communities such as LBQ women.