SEXUAL DEFENDERS
05/11/2021
Ugandan lawmakers this week passed a bill on sexual offenses that would increase punishments for offenders and would strengthen protection for victims. But critics note the measure also would enshrine the criminalization of same-sex relations, sex work and those living with HIV.
Monica Amoding, the legislator who pushed for the Sexual Offenses Act, said that for 10 years there has been a high incidence of sexual offenses, with sexual violence topping the list of crimes that needed to be battled. However, not everyone supported the bill...Read More
Refugee Children, LGBTI Youth and Covid19
06/09/2020
Diseases outbreak affects girls and boys, women and men differently. However, children face the most risk to the pandemic and its effects. According to the Aftershocks[i] Report by World Vision Five million could suffer from malnutrition which is about a 40% increase from the current data, and malaria deaths could also increase by 50% among children.
More so adolescent children`s education was interrupted, including young people who face emotional distress and troubling feelings, including anxiety, anger, and worry due to the uncertainty of how long this crisis will last and dealing with isolation...Read More
IDAHOBIT 2020
05/17/2020
Simma Africa Creative Arts Foundation (SAF) joins the rest of the world to commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism and Transphobia (Idahobit). The 17th of May is a day dedicated to awareness raising about the stigma, discrimination, violence and repression targeting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex and Queer communities around the world.
'Breaking the Silence' is the universal theme for IDAHOBIT this year 2020. This is so timely for LGBTIQ+ Refugees, Ugandans and our allies to once again say 'enough is enough'...Read More
SW Solidarity needed during COVID19
06/09/2020
This is a Clarion call to help us cater to the needs of our members who are falling prey to different issues that have risen out of the COVID19 pandemic. As an organization we stand in solidarity with female SW in Uganda who are facing heightened levels of violence due to the COVID19 Lock-down's imposed by the government of Uganda.
21 of our members who are FSW refugees are facing intimate partner violence, gender based violence, mental health issues, hunger, homelessness, cyber bullying and wrongful arrest. This situation has caused a trigger for our members to relive the trauma they faced during their past life before seeking asylum in Uganda and this has increased levels of stress...Read More
Covid19 Lockdown Effects on SAF Members
04/21/2020
The Ugandan government's response to COVID-19 has only deepened pre-existing hierarchies that make LGBTIQ+ people vulnerable to online harassment and physical violence. Homosexuality is criminalized in Uganda so in 2016, I and a group of Intersex and Transgender women who faced stigma, discrimination and social challenges at workplaces founded Simma Africa Creative Arts Foundation, a non-profit membership organization (REG 80020001425005).
We opened a Creative Art Workshop for LBTIQ youth and urban SW refugees teaching them TVET, GBV awareness, Financial and Digital Literacy, Counseling, Capacity Building and Economic Empowerment...Read More
POLICE RAID
03/31/2020
We would like to believe that not all law enforcement officers are bad. Some are understanding and very professional BUT most are very brutal and have no regard for privacy or human rights.
On 19th March 2020, two of our members from Simma Africa Creative Arts Foundation (SAF) were followed to our offices by two men who introduced themselves as police men. Usually they are very careful while coming to the office. This day was different. They were asked for documentation and due to language barrier they did not fully grasp what was being asked of them...Read More