Gay Rights in Africa: The UK takes a stance

This week, Prime Minister David Cameron of the UK sent a stern warning to Sierra Leone and other African countries – refuse to recognize gay rights and risk losing aid from the UK.

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights guarantees that all people, regardless of sexual orientation, have certain inalienable rights. It is not arguable that Africa and many other parts of the world, including parts in the West, have a very long way to go in terms of recognizing the rights of gays and lesbians.

Sheka Tarawallie, the Deputy Information Minister of Sierra Leone, responded to Cameron’s warning with a curt: "It is not possible that we will legalize same sex marriages as they run counter to our culture." Tarawallie’s sentiments have been echoed by leaders throughout the continent – a staunch rejection of any rights for gays and lesbians on the account that homosexuality is “un-African.”

However, the question arises: Could the UK’s attempt to take a moral stance against homophobia in Africa backfire? The UK will have an uphill battle in bringing about policy reform on gay and lesbian issues. If the UK decides to call African nations’ bluff and actually withhold aid from them, it may find that more problems may be created from this decision than problems solved. Withholding aid from Sierra Leone, for instance, could end vital programs in health care, financial aid, and election assistance, the last of which is particularly necessary as 2012 is the next election year in the country. Problems like these could be recreated throughout the African continent, especially in areas that are very dependent on British aid.

The battle for gay rights is a worthwhile one to fight. However, if the UK wants to effectively fight this battle, it should find another way to do so. Its current approach could have negative consequences for all parties involved.