Rwanda

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Rwanda is leading the progress on human rights for LGBTI persons in East Africa. In 2010 Rwanda eliminated the criminalisation provision from its draft code and recently signed two UN resolutions on sexual orientation and gender identity, as the only African nation to do so.

 

Legislation

Male to male relationships: Legal

Female to female relationships: Legal

Age of consent: Different for heterosexuals and homosexuals

 

More on the law of Rwanda at ilga org

 

Legal incidents

On 16 December 2009, the national parliament debated whether to make homosexuality a criminal offense, with a punishment of 5–10 years' imprisonment. This legislation was similar to the controversial anti-homosexuality bill in the neighboring country of Uganda. Justice Minister Tharcisse Karugarama, however, condemned and refuted reports that the government intended to criminalize homosexual acts, saying that sexual orientation is a private matter, not a state business.

 

See shadow report on The Violations of the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Persons in Rwanda (2009)

 

More on the social climate for LGBT people in Rwanda in this article from ilga.org

 

LGBT organizations/networks

None found as of July 2012

 

Conventions

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