There are growing concerns that Senegal’s harsh new anti-LGBTQ+ law is already undermining efforts to combat HIV, with key populations reportedly avoiding healthcare for fear of arrest.
In March, Senegal’s Parliament overwhelmingly passed legislation that doubled existing penalties for consensual same-sex intimacy — defined to include homosexuality, bisexuality and “transsexuality” — to up to ten years in prison and fines exceeding US$17,000.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye signed the law shortly afterwards. It also criminalises the funding and so-called “promotion of LGBT ideology”, curbing free speech and effectively outlawing advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, with penalties of three to seven years’ imprisonment.
Sharp Drop in HIV Treatment Uptake
Reuters has now cited government data and reports from health officials indicating that fewer patients are visiting some HIV treatment centres in Senegal, with a reported drop of 25.6% in just one month.
This suggests that some patients are avoiding accessing antiretroviral medication, both for prevention and treatment of HIV.
Reuters also quoted an LGBT community health worker who said they are too afraid to leave their home.
UNAIDS Warned of Public Health Impact
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) previously warned that the repressive law could worsen the country’s response to HIV.
“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 in March. “An effective HIV response based on solid public health evidence and protections for access to services for the most vulnerable is urgent for Senegal.”
UNAIDS has also pointed out that between 2010 and 2024, new HIV infections in Senegal increased by 36%, making it one of only four countries in West and Central Africa to record a rise in new infections.
Arrests and Crackdown Intensify
Local reports indicate that dozens of people have been arrested in Senegal since the beginning of the year as part of a broader crackdown on the LGBTQ+ community that preceded the passage of the law.
In February, police in Dakar arrested 12 people for engaging in “unnatural acts” — a term used to describe same-sex intimacy. They were also charged with the deliberate transmission of HIV/AIDS through unprotected sexual intercourse. Police seized condoms and lubricants during the arrests and publicly announced the HIV status of several of the men.
It is believed that at least two people have already been convicted under the new law, raising further concerns about its chilling effect on public health and human rights.
