Political homophobia and the effect on GBMSM programmes in Kenya: The significance of a community-led rapid agency assessment

Abstract

A recent Supreme Court ruling that permitted LGBTQ + rights organisations to officially register as non-governmental organisations has led to rises in political homophobia in Kenya. Community leaders initiated and led a rapid agency assessment to examine the effects of this rising political homophobia on sexual health services access for gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM). This survey assessment engaged directors and programme managers running 20 community-based organisations (CBOs) representing 19 Kenyan counties, serving the sexual health needs of more than >25,000 GBMSM. In addition to prevalent shutdowns of health services, respondents reported growing religious tensions, fears and threats of attack, withdrawal of local county government support, and rising religious tensions. At a moment when highly oppressive anti-LGBTQ + legislation has been drafted and debated in parliament, in the name of ‘family protection’, this commentary makes an appeal to allied health officials and global funding partners to make more explicit statements that call attention to the negative consequences of political homophobia on the grounds of public health and human rights.

Keywords

• homophobia
• gbmsm
• community-led
• cbo
• hiv
• stbbi
• kenya