LGBT rights in Botswana
Encyclopedia
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) persons in Botswana face legal issues not experienced by non-LGBT
citizens. Both female and male same-sex sexual acts are illegal in Botswana
.
Although homosexual acts remain illegal, prosecution of such acts is rare.
based on sexual orientation
.
. It is commonly seen as a western, non-African issue. Botswana is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
.
Botswana's primary LGBT rights organization is Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO). It has no official recognition from the government—and because it is not a registered organization, it cannot legally raise funds. A spokesman from the organization said, “the government has stated that it will refuse to register our organization because to do so would be tantamount to registering an organization of criminals."
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "the police do not target homosexual activity, and there were no reports of violence against persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity during the year. However, there were reports of societal discrimination and harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons."
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
citizens. Both female and male same-sex sexual acts are illegal in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
.
Laws regarding same-sex sexual acts
According to chapter 08:01 of the penal code:Although homosexual acts remain illegal, prosecution of such acts is rare.
Discrimination protections
There is no protection against discriminationDiscrimination
Discrimination is the prejudicial treatment of an individual based on their membership in a certain group or category. It involves the actual behaviors towards groups such as excluding or restricting members of one group from opportunities that are available to another group. The term began to be...
based on sexual orientation
Sexual orientation
Sexual orientation describes a pattern of emotional, romantic, or sexual attractions to the opposite sex, the same sex, both, or neither, and the genders that accompany them. By the convention of organized researchers, these attractions are subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality,...
.
Living conditions
Homosexuality is taboo in traditional Botswana cultureCulture of Botswana
Besides referring to the language of the dominant people groups in Botswana, Setswana is the adjective used to describe the rich cultural traditions of the Batswana - whether construed as members of the Setswana ethnic groups or of all citizens of Botswana....
. It is commonly seen as a western, non-African issue. Botswana is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations
LGBT rights in the Commonwealth of Nations
The majority of the countries of the Commonwealth of Nations, formerly known as the British Commonwealth, still criminalize sexual acts between consenting adults of the same sex and other forms of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. This has been described as being the result of...
.
Botswana's primary LGBT rights organization is Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO). It has no official recognition from the government—and because it is not a registered organization, it cannot legally raise funds. A spokesman from the organization said, “the government has stated that it will refuse to register our organization because to do so would be tantamount to registering an organization of criminals."
The U.S. Department of State's 2010 Human Rights Report found that "the police do not target homosexual activity, and there were no reports of violence against persons based on their sexual orientation or gender identity during the year. However, there were reports of societal discrimination and harassment of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender persons."
See also
- Human rights in AfricaHuman rights in AfricaHuman rights as a legal concept is a relatively recent notion in Africa. The United Nations System, international law and the African Union have certainly all contributed to the establishment of a human rights system in Africa, which has positively and indispensably influenced the advancement of...
- LGBT rights in AfricaLGBT rights in AfricaLesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender rights in Africa are limited in comparison to other areas of the world, with the BBC estimating that homosexuality is outlawed in 38 African countries...
External links
- Asylumlaw.org: Sexual Minorities & HIV Status (Botswana) — various information packets used for asylum purposes
- UK government travel advice for Botswana: Local laws and customs