Activists Oppose World Bank’s Potential Resumption of Loans to Uganda

Posted on by QueerVibesMag
Activists Oppose World Bank's Potential Resumption of Loans to Uganda
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Activists Oppose World Bank’s Potential Resumption of Loans to Uganda

Concerns Over Lending Amid LGBTQ+ Oppression

Activists are voicing strong opposition to the possibility of the World Bank reinstating financial support to Uganda, despite the country’s ongoing persecution of LGBTQ+ individuals. In August 2023, the World Bank halted new loans to Uganda following the enactment of the Anti-Homosexuality Act, a draconian law that was passed in May of the same year.

This decision came after significant pressure from more than 170 human rights organizations, including ILGA World, The Human Rights Campaign, Outright International, and Rainbow Railroad, all urging the financial institution to take a firm stand against Uganda’s discriminatory legislation.

At the time, the World Bank announced it would work with the Ugandan government to implement “mitigation measures” aimed at ensuring that sexual and gender minorities were not subjected to discrimination within projects funded by the bank.

World Bank Considers New Lending Terms

By late 2023, Victoria Kwakwa, the World Bank’s regional head for Eastern and Southern Africa, suggested the bank might consider resuming loans to Uganda if the government pledged not to arrest LGBTQ+ individuals under its funded programs. She also indicated that the Ugandan government seemed open to this condition.

Reports suggest that the World Bank has been trialing these mitigation measures since July 2024, with a final decision expected soon.

Criticism of the World Bank’s Mitigation Measures

On September 16, 2024, numerous rights groups issued a follow-up letter condemning the proposed mitigation measures, arguing they would fail to protect LGBTQ+ people as long as the Anti-Homosexuality Act remains in force.

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The letter emphasized that there had been no improvement in Uganda’s treatment of LGBTQ+ individuals since the law’s implementation, and called the World Bank’s approach deeply flawed. The activists likened the measures to “a façade,” stating that Uganda’s discriminatory laws prevent the government from being a credible partner in protecting LGBTQ+ citizens.

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Global Consequences of the World Bank’s Approach

The letter warned that these mitigation measures could not only fail in Uganda but also set a harmful precedent globally. The groups expressed concern that other countries with discriminatory laws might adopt similar strategies, further marginalizing vulnerable populations under the guise of economic development.

The activists urged the World Bank to avoid restarting loans to Uganda, arguing that doing so would embolden governments to embrace repressive policies. They also highlighted the severe human rights abuses LGBTQ+ Ugandans have faced since the law’s enactment, including arrests, evictions, torture, and forced examinations.

The Anti-Homosexuality Act carries harsh penalties, including life imprisonment for consensual same-sex acts and the death penalty for so-called “aggravated” homosexuality. Additionally, the law criminalizes the “promotion of homosexuality,” endangering human rights defenders who advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.

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