BACKGROUND

Seventy-five countries around the world criminalize LGBTI people, of which 33 are in Africa (including island nations.) Of the 7 countries that impose the death penalty, 4 in Africa.

In these countries, the criminal codes and anti-gay rhetoric gives license to widespread persecution and is currently is at an all time high. While the draconian Colonial penal codes remain in effect, politicians, lawmakers, and religious leaders are calling for harsher punitive measures through more onerous legislation. This milieu is ripe for so called “mob justice”, public outings, evictions, firings, expulsions, banishment, blackmail, extortion, arrests, torture, assault, and even killings.

As a result, many members of Africa’s LGBTI community are often forced into hiding and in extreme cases, into exile, often seeking paths as asylum seekers or refugees. 

MISSION

The African Human Rights Coalition (AHRC) works with LGBTI communities and individuals in and from African countries seeking to claim and defend their human rights, with advocacy, resources and direct services:

• To combat homophobia, transphobia, and xenophobia, as well as related individual case advocacy, forming coalition alliances locally, on the continent, and abroad;

• To provide fully comprehensive and ad hoc case management services for LGBTI individuals, asylum seekers and refugees, to include humanitarian assistance, referrals and resources;

• To advocate with key populations and health impact of 'rights at risk', and related issues

Our ultimate goal is to partner for change, in the hope Africa can return to its pre-Colonial time of acceptance of sexuality, so Africa's environment for LGBTI people advances the pursuit of  freedom and happiness.

​

We provide ad hoc advocacy and humanitarian services to LGBTQI people who have been criminalized in several African countries and are compelled by persecutory threat and violence to seek safe shelter and/or exile.

LGBTQI People in Africa are in dire need of:

Safe shelter, food, medical assistance and related funding

Guidance about exile options in cases where such is the only option for safety and survival

​

Improved conditions and Refugee protection in hostile host countries

Asylum services such as living and legal resources, to include trauma counseling, housing, work, law and policy reform 
 

LGBTQI refugees in UNHCR system - management for resettlement cases, communications, advocacy

We provide consulting, advocacy and promotion of awareness on the situation for LGBTQI people in several African countries, to include Angola, Burundi, Ethiopia, Cameroon, DRC, Ghana,  Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, The Gambia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe. 

​

Melanie Nathan, Executive Director is a renowned South African Human Rights Attorney and LGBTQI equality advocate who immigrated to the United States during the Apartheid era. She is a country conditions expert on homophobia in Africa, providing expert testimony in the U.S and global courts for LGBTQI asylum seekers. She speaks around the world on related issues. 

WHO WE ARE- 

Marc Hanuman Cohen, Director of Humanitarian Programs Marc is engaged in directing humanitarian alliances and protection funding. Marc brings his many years of front line advocacy in the fight to preserve the quality of life for those living with HIV/AIDS, substance abuse & club drug interventions, his Global focus on LGBTI human rights advocacy, spearheading & supporting HIV & LGBT+ Programs with a focus on prevention, treatment access & human rights violations in Canada, US, Ghana & Uganda.  In 1988 Marc began serving on the Board of Directors of University of Miami’s Community Alliance Against AIDS. In 1993, he Co-founded the Community AIDS Program on Miami Beach, serving as the Foundation's VP from 1993-97; then serving as President from 1997-2007.  

African HRC consists of a coalition of individuals, case managers, service providers, organizations, and African led ambassadors based all around the world.

(Melanie Nathan, Executive Director of African HRC & United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon)

Melanie Nathan, BA LL B practiced law in South Africa  before immigrating to the U.S.A. in 1985. Melanie is an acclaimed equality and human rights advocate, a conflict resolution specialist and renowned speaker on issues impacting LGBTQI communities in the U.S. and African countries.
 

In 2009 she was the lead advocate in the successful introduction of a rare private bill into Congress by Senator Feinstein, preventing the imminent deportation of a lesbian mother. She has provided testimony to the US. Senate Judiciary Committee and the California State Assembly and Senate.

She is also known for her advocacy work and writing on the issue of so called “corrective rape” in South Africa, and was a co-leading spokesperson in the formation of a Parliamentary and Civil Society Task Team to combat violence against lesbians and hate crimes. She also is a Country Conditions expert on the situation for LGBTQI people in several African countries, providing reports for asylum applications and  court cases around the world.

In 2014 Melanie was honored for her global advocacy work by San Francisco Pride as community Grand Marshal for SF Pride 2014. She was also Grand Marshal for Cape Town Pride in 2011. She has been a speaker for Women's March, Bay Area and served on panels around the globe. Melanie is the 2016 recipient of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award, Marin County HRC. 

She served as a Marin Human Rights Commissioner, Youth Court Judge, VP Board of Fair Housing Marin, Review Board of San Anselmo and as an elected Vice President on the Board of San Francisco Pride. More on her advocacy blog at www.oblogdee.blog/about