Campaign for comments on state of equality for LGBTQI+ community

According to the CGE, although legislation has in theory made discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals against the law, in practice, these individuals still face hate.

The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) is expected to launch a campaign for public comments on the state of equality in the human rights of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex Plus (LGBTQI+) community in South Africa on Tuesday.

The Chapter Nine institution says the campaign – dubbed the #LGBTI+equality project – will help it identify areas where it may intervene when necessary in order to ensure "the achievement of LGBTQI+ equality" in the country.

"The objective of the project is to assess the state of LGBTI+ equality in South Africa 27 years after the achievement of democracy in South Africa. Whilst acknowledging the progress over the last decades of our democracy… [the project] also means a re-look at the areas where there has been little to no progress and even regression in important areas of transgender inclusion, forced divorces and intersex genital mutilation," the commission said.

The commission said it would like public comments on the following related to the human rights of LGBTQI+ individuals:

Criminal justice.

Right to education.Labour and employment.

Access to healthcare for transgender, intersex, and gender non-conforming persons

Any other human rights issues deemed crucial for the achievement of LGBTI+ equality in South Africa.

According to the CGE, although legislation has in theory made discrimination against LGBTQI+ individuals against the law, in practice, these individuals still face hate.

"The eradication of explicitly discriminatory legislative provisions from South Africa's law books has not eradicated societal prejudices that entrench and encourage discriminatory practices and actions in employment, access to health, criminal justice and safety and security.

"Whilst the Constitutional Court has recognised and declared unconstitutional various exclusionary provisions, this has had little effect on improving the life chances of the LGBTI+ community as a whole," the commission said.

Public comments on the state of equality for LGBTQI+ communities can be sent to LGBTI@cge.org.za or Javu@cge.org.za.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release)