BACKGROUND

Over 70 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 are 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.

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We provide advocacy and humanitarian services to LGBTQI+ people in forced displacement:.

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AHRC works to mitigate the following dire needs for LGBTQI people in Africa, through direct services and coalition building:

Safe shelter, food, medical assistance and related funding, to include funding for livelihood projects

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

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Improved conditions and refugee registration and protection in hostile host countries

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

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

Consulting, advocacy, awareness, country conditions reporting and expert testimony, 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.

DIRECTORS

Melanie Nathan, Executive Director has a hand on approach, directing all AHRC programs. She practiced law in South Africa before immigrating to the United States. She is a renowned  award winning  human rights and LGBTQI equality advocate. She is a qualified country conditions expert witness in LGBTQI cases for African asylum seekers, providing expert testimony in the U.S and global courts.  She lectures and speaks around the world on related issues. Melanie recently participated as a thematic workshop lead in the June 2021 UNHCR Roundtable for FORCIBLY DISPLACED LGBTQI+ People and provided the roundup keynote. She sat on the UNHCR monthly panel "Closing the Gaps" where the Global Roundtable recommendations were elucidated. Melanie also provided a closing keynote speech to the WorldPride and EuroGames, Copenhagen and Malmö Summit in August 2021, on Refugees, Borders & Immigration.

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.