Far-Right Leaders Amplify African Anti-LGBTQ+ Rhetoric at Nairobi Conference

As the controversial second Pan-African Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values entered its final days in Nairobi, international human rights advocates have raised alarm over the growing convergence of global far-right ideologies targeting LGBTQ+ and reproductive rights across Africa.

The conference—hosted by the Kenya Christian Professionals Forum (KCPF) and supported by US-based extremist groups—has drawn condemnation from LGBTQ+ and feminist organisations for serving as a platform to promote hate, disinformation, and regressive policies under the guise of “family values.”

Among those taking the podium was Greg Slater, a retired US diplomat who now describes himself as free to “speak without restraint.” In a video from the conference, Slater describes “sexual rights”, such as LGBTIQ+ rights, as” fictitious rights”. He enthusiastically promotes an African charter on “family” and “values, to “reclaim our societies from the globalist agenda” and “restore the God-given roles of men and women.”

The presence of South Africa’s Errol Naidoo—head of the Family Policy Institute and a former member of the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP)—further underscores the regional ties fuelling the conference. Naidoo has long campaigned against LGBTQ+ rights and abortion access in South Africa, often using conspiracy theories to frame progressive policies as “anti-African.”

A newly released report by Ipas, a global sexual and reproductive health and rights organisation, offers damning insight into the architecture of this anti-rights movement. The report traces the funding, partnerships, and strategic playbook behind the Nairobi conference and similar gatherings across the continent.

According to Ipas, key US-based organisations are driving this offensive, including:

• The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025
• The Center for Family and Human Rights (C-Fam), whose leadership sits on the advisory council of the conference organisers
• The Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), represented by legal officer Bettina Roska

Other figures include Rickey Chelette of the Texas-based Living Hope Ministries and Aketch Aimba, director of Kenya’s Pearls and Treasures Trust—an organisation known for anti-abortion activism.

Erick Mundia, Policy Manager at Ipas Africa Alliance and a Kenya-based sexual and reproductive health expert and researcher, warned that this conference is part of a broader agenda aimed at dismantling rights across the continent.

Speaking to MambaOnline he said: “Sexuality, abortion and comprehensive sexuality education will be main points of discussion.”

“Those in attendance view LGBTQ people as a threat to African values and families. On abortion, the discussions will center on providing alternative care to abortion such as crisis pregnancy centres, and also on Protego, which is designed to operationalize the Geneva Consensus Declaration.”

He added that efforts are underway to push back against existing regional frameworks: “One theme we expect is around regional treaties they view as a threat to their position, such as the Maputo Protocol and the recently adopted Convention on Elimination of Violence against Women and Girls. Their proposal is to adopt an African charter on family and cultural values.”

Commenting on the outsized role of American influence, Mundia noted: “The proliferation of American actors into Africa is meant to limit the impact of implementation of global and regional treaties that promote and protect gender and reproductive rights. Since the African bloc holds a significant number in voting and representation at the global level, pushback will weaken this system and provide space for more conservative policies.”

He also explained why Africa is being strategically targeted. “The African continent has diverse cultures and opinions on abortion and sexuality, thus it’s easier to push a narrative that excludes a group of people and push for preservation of certain cultures and practices. For example, we are seeing a resurgence of pro-FGM (female genital mutilation) laws, whereas this was felt to be a won battle. The same actors are funding these initiatives in Gambia and Sierra Leone.”

Closer to home, Mundia warned that the conference could directly impact policy and service delivery. “This conference is a breeding ground for hate, exclusion, and misinformation. It will impact enactment and advancement of progressive laws and policies, and will make it hard for governments to offer reproductive health care services. Right now, we see more anti-LGBTQ+ laws being proposed in more African countries.”

With regard to global solidarity, he made a firm call to action: “It is important for donors and allies to understand that all rights are at risk. We must have strong partnerships and movements, especially on these issues. Further, resources are needed in a proactive manner and with flexibility to support different environments that CSOs work in. And, donors, partners, policymakers and allies need to make their voices heard, in their own spaces, with a consistent and clear message of support.”

The Kenya Red Cross has also come under fire for providing logistical support and hosting facilities for the event, a move activists say contradicts the organisation’s humanitarian mission. LGBTQ+ and feminist groups have demanded transparency and accountability from the agency.

As outrage grows, African LGBTQ+ and women’s rights organisations are ramping up resistance, urging international allies to challenge these coordinated attacks. The Pan-African Conference on Family, Sovereignty and Values ends on 17 May, ironically, the same date as the International Day Again.st Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)