Advocates across Africa and beyond have expressed alarm following reports that lawmakers in Senegal has passed an anti-LGBTQ+ bill that significantly increasing criminal penalties for same-sex relationships.
Same-sex intimacy has long been criminalised in Senegal under Article 319 of the penal code, which previously prescribed prison terms of between one and five years.
The new legislation, which must still be signed by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye before becoming law, increases sentences to up to ten years, alongside heavier fines and provisions targeting the promotion or support of LGBTQ+ identities.
Concern over human rights implications
SafePlace International, a global nonprofit organisation supporting LGBTQ+ refugees, asylum seekers and displaced people, has warned that the expanded criminalisation risks undermining internationally recognised human rights protections.
“Senegal’s increased penalties for same-sex relationships raise serious concerns within the framework of international law, which guarantees rights to dignity, equality before the law, privacy, and freedom from discrimination”, the organisation said.
In a statement, SafePlace International added that laws, like Senegal’s anti-LGBTQ+ bill, criminalising same-sex relationships heighten the risk of violence and discrimination, while also creating barriers that prevent people from reporting abuse or accessing protection.
Earl Semu, Director of the Global Family Initiative at SafePlace International, said:
“An attack on any member of our community is an attack against all of us. These types of legislation are a direct attempt to silence the queer nation and demonise who we are and who we love. We will not stay silent when our siblings are facing violence and persecution.”
African voices point to political dynamics
Regional advocates have also highlighted broader political dynamics shaping anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Thuli Mjwara, Inclusive & Affirming Ministries (IAM) Strategic Advocacy Coordinator and Western Cape Provincial Task Team (PTT) Civil Society Co-chairperson, said it was concerning that political leaders continue to support laws that criminalise LGBTQ+ people.
“It is disappointing that heads of African states find themselves pressured to make laws that criminalise LGBTIQ+ persons in an attempt to uphold their role as political leaders,” she said.
Mjwara said these kinds of laws are often driven by political agendas rather than the needs of citizens.
She added that in a context where many African countries face conflict and high trade tariffs, “focusing on criminalising citizens displays a conscious choice to ‘divide and rule’ as opposed to unifying and building together.”
She said debates around homosexuality are frequently used as political tools, and this comes at the expense of ordinary people, too.
“That is to say, discussions about homosexuality are being used politically, often presented as an indicator of a country’s democratic values or its closeness to the West. This is being done at the expense of citizens, their families, and their participation in the life of the state,” she continued.
She added that LGBTQ+ people play a vital role in society and the economy.
“LGBTIQ+ people contribute to the economy as consumers, business leaders, educators, and community members. History has shown that the oppression of others does not translate to equality and freedom for the collective,” she said
Fears of displacement and shrinking protections
The Fruit Basket, a trans led South African-based organisation that serves, supports, and advocates for LGBTIQ+ migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, warned that the law could deepen patterns of displacement across the continent.
“The new law passed by lawmakers in the country is not only a threat to the freedoms of LGBTQIA+ people, but also all people who value freedom of expression,” Thomars Shamuyarira, Founder of The Fruit Basket, said.
He noted that LGBTQIA+ individuals are increasingly forced to flee their home countries under precarious conditions.
“For our community of asylum seekers, migrants and refugees whose experiences sit at the intersection of sexuality and nationality, this law further entrenches the necessity for intersectional and community-led organisation and mobilisation,” Shamuyarira said.
He also highlighted concerns about shrinking asylum protections in South Africa, currently the only country on the continent recognising SOGIESC-based asylum claims.
“These shifts significantly narrow pathways to safety and protection for LGBTQIA+ people fleeing persecution, including those from Senegal and other African countries,” he added.
Impact on Health Services in Senegal
In a statement, the UN HIV/AIDS agency, UNAIDS, expressed concern about the implications of the proposed law for the country’s public health achievements.
While it noted and welcomed a clause in the anti-LGBTQ+ bill that exempts “duly authorised health structures and organisations within the framework of public health policies”, it warned that the legislation could still negatively affect efforts to combat HIV in Senegal.
“Evidence shows that criminalisation causes people to turn away from health services. Criminal laws also increase stigma and discrimination against groups that are already marginalised,” said UNAIDS.
The agency added: “An effective HIV response based on solid public health evidence and protections for access to services for the most vulnerable is urgent for Senegal.”
Calls for solidarity
Advocates say the passage of the anti-LGBTQ+ bill in Senegal underscores the need for stronger regional solidarity and rights-based approaches.
“The tightening of asylum regimes across the region means that displacement does not necessarily ensure safety,” Shamuyarira said. “This reality underscores the need for strengthened, community-led systems of care, solidarity, and advocacy.”
Activists warn that Senegal’s move reflects a broader trend that will require sustained resistance and collective action across the continent.
