YOUTH RIGHTS ALLIANCE, UGANDA T he following interview is of one of our Transgender sisters from Uganda. Mukisa (aka Clara) still currently resides in Uganda where she faces ongoing backlash against
the entire LGBTQIA+ community. Instead of cowering in fear, Clara has decided to stand up for the community by creating the Youth Rights Alliance. The Youth Rights Alliance participates in a number of community activities by organizing connections to Trans health services, shelter for the homeless Trans youth, as well as, documenting human rights violations and providing safe sex items. This is Clara’s story in her own words with small corrections for clarity and/or grammar:
What inspired you to start the Youth Rights Alliance?
What do you want people to know about Uganda?
For a long time I had [the] passion to work and serve my community to the best I can and for a long time I have worked to organize. There was always a gap left when it came to the issues and needs of Transgender persons, mainly in the Eastern region of Uganda. [It is] full of rural areas where levels of advocacy, awareness and sensitization on human rights of the marginalized are still low. Given the fact that I come from a rural area too and [was] once a victim, I saw the need to start up an organization to bridge the gaps faced by my fellow Transgender persons in access to health services and legal services as they were being left out.
I would love people to know that the president of Uganda assented to a deadly bill that’s now a law that makes the LGBTIQ community members live like criminals in our own country. Given the penalties of the law that even denies an LGBTIQ person shelter as it says there is a penalty for a landlord found housing an LGBTIQ person. Uganda now has become [a] perpetrator in violating rights of the LGBTIQ community in Uganda. What is the employment situation like for LGBTQIA+ people in Uganda? In Uganda its very hard for an LGBTQIA+ person to get employment mainly the transgender persons given the levels of stigma and discrimination and biases people have over the LGBTQIA+ community. Does the community take care of each other? In what ways? Yes the community does care for each other in ways like: When one is arrested, they are there to offer all the kind of support needed to see you free. When sick, referrals are given in order to get better medication. We always gather to celebrate good times and bad times together.
BLAQUEOUT MAGAZINE
06
