This Subcommittee on International Human Rights meeting studied the situation of 2SLGBTQ+ people from Uganda. Witnesses were Steven Kabuye (as an individual), Tigere Chagutah (Amnesty International), Oryem Nyeko (Human Rights Watch), Horst Backé (Reaching Out Assisting Refugees), Meddie Ssentongo (as an individual), and Christopher Nkambwe (The African Centre for Refugees in Ontario-Canada).
Steven Kabuye, a survivor of a stabbing attack, described the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act as creating a state-sanctioned nightmare where violence, evictions, and denial of healthcare are widespread, and where police treated him as a criminal after his attack. He urged Canada to expedite humanitarian visas and resettlement for at-risk LGBTQI+ Ugandans, fund grassroots organizations, publicly condemn Uganda's crimes, and impose targeted sanctions against politicians who scapegoat LGBTQI+ people.
Tigere Chagutah documented how the 2023 law and USAID funding cuts have devastated queer people, forcing them to alter their digital presence and weakening NGOs, while refugees in Kenya and South Sudan face hate crimes, delayed registration, and systems that only recognize male or female genders. He recommended increasing government-assisted refugee slots, funding the LGBTQI+ international assistance program, establishing a rapid response mechanism at Canadian high commissions, and using diplomatic leverage on Uganda, Kenya, and South Sudan.
Oryem Nyeko reported that political and religious figures spread misinformation and incited hatred before the law's passage, leading to physical and sexual violence, online harassment, police entrapment and extortion, and raids on NGOs, with no accountability for attackers. He called on Canada to consistently raise concerns with Ugandan officials about the law's impacts and to support local organizations through intersectional approaches and sustained funding.
Horst Backé stated the law criminalizes identities, not just acts, and has led to murder and assault by family members, with refugees trapped in Kenya and South Sudan due to a "choke point" where exit visas are denied. He recommended targeted Magnitsky sanctions against MPs who supported the bill, expanding direct referral partnerships like Rainbow Railroad, using economic mobility pathways for skilled workers, and leading a G7 coalition to frame repeal of the law as a global health security requirement.
Meddie Ssentongo described fleeing Uganda after his father threatened to kill him, then facing assault, food discrimination, and lack of police follow-up in Kakuma camp, where he waited four years for resettlement. He recommended Canada create a temporary settlement program similar to those for Chechens and Afghans, increase collaboration with Rainbow Railroad beyond its 250-person cap, and make the Rainbow Refugee assistance program permanent with increased capacity.
Christopher Nkambwe, who established a charity supporting LGBTIQ+ refugees in Canada, noted that homophobia and transphobia remain rampant in Uganda, with evictions, forced marriages, and health service disruptions after funding cuts. He urged Canada to enhance the LGBTQ2I international assistance program, establish emergency rapid response mechanisms at high commissions, engage Kenya and South Sudan on asylum procedures, and exert diplomatic pressure to repeal the Anti-Homosexuality Act.
In response to questions, witnesses noted that post-election Uganda has become more dangerous, with arrests like that of two women in Arua for allegedly kissing, and that TikTok and X were major platforms for anti-LGBT hate speech in local languages. They also described how the Kenyan choke point blocks exit permits, and how discrimination against LGBTQ refugees persists in Canada, including in shelters and churches. No procedural debate, motions, or votes occurred during this meeting.
AI-generated summary — may contain errors; verify against the official evidence.