Category Archives: News

Two evenings ago I, lead founder of the LGB&T Dorset Equality Network, subsequently the LGBT+ Network for Change, discovered that a former Trustee and Treasurer (last summer following due process was suspended and later removed as from the roles mentioned [process informed to the Charity Commission] had been keeping live a Facebook Page enabled by Green Party Croydon area councillor.

This despite in their suspension and subsequent removal [not contested in the circumstances and with related evidence particulars provided to the Charity Commission] it was made very clear that they had no right post-the latter to in any way formally subsequently present to the public that they had any continued connection to the charity. To our great disappointment this request has appeared to have not been complied with by the said former trustee and treasurer.

Consequently the FB account enabled by the said councillor has had to be closed for reason of it’s having a year on being used by the person referred to.

In association with this the LGBT+ Network for Change has strong unequivocal positions regarding anyone that challenges Trans and LGBTQ+ supportive work, especially in the schools and colleges sector: sadly this occurred with the former trustee and treasurer on a far-right Anti-LGBTQ+ Queerphobic de-facto supportive email communucation.

The latter sent at the time it was revealed that they had estabished contact with an East Kent area member of an ultra far right community violent vigilante group: the person was a minor/under 18 whose social media was hacked it [screen captures evidenced] by the former trustee / treasurer who at the same time it has been subsequently revealed to have while on probation licence, in contact with professional criminal hacker network members , and at the same time had been cleared by the Kent Police and OPCC to make an application to be even though still on licence, to potentially become an Independent Custody Visitor (ICV).

We also as the Charity Commission — and indeed Kent Police and the Kent, Surrey and Sussex Probation Service, and the Reform UK Kent County Council leader, and the leads of Canterbury City Council — are aware, take a strong, evidenced in email communication records of our charity, clear position where charity trustees and former treasurers are concerned when after repeated in writing formal requests to a treasurer of our charity to provide for Charity Commission compliance purposes [completion of Annual Return and Financial Statements], have been refused by the person in question, with only a screen capture reply from them that they will as creator of the given bank account delete same which will result in transactions erasure.

We are protective of our work in service to our Kent, UK, and international levels LGBTQ+ communities.and allies, Consequently we take seriously when as in this case that vital work experiences disruption by those in the UK Criminal Justice System. We believe too that the experiences encountered in their detail offer priceless insights at government and given police and probation services agencies much needed improvement in delivery level.

A few days ago we emailed the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP in his capacity as Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (NI), and, in association the Rt Hon Anneliese Dodds MP (Shadow Secretary of State for Women and Equalities).

This further to Network Lead, Alan Mercel-Sanca over the past 12 months to seek Republic of Ireland and UK governments to ensure that South to North, cross-border conveying of LGBTQI+ minors and young vulnerable adults who are Citizens of the Republic be protected against de-facto trafficking/conveying (the FGM trafficking across borders phenomenon being the main relevant comparison for the severity of harm inflicted on victims) into the North to endure conversion practices.

The culmination of this work being the exceptional result that the Irish Parliament (The Oireachtas) and the British Parliament (Westminster) relevant parliamentary committees — for the Republic of Ireland, the Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth Committee, and for the UK, the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee — both formally confirming that the matter of this phenomenon will in regard to UK and Ireland envisaged legislation banning conversion practices will be directly considered at pre-legislative scrutiny (PLS) stages. Thereby ensuring that if this provision is not made in the said governments legislation proposals, then that it will be engaged with by the said two all-parties joint/select parliamentary committees will ensure it is effectively raised.

We are very pleased to confirm that earlier in the year we had helpful email interaction with Mr Benn (who also in reply advised that we involve his colleague Ms Dodds in developments in this area, with Hilary directly copying in Ms Dodds in his reply to us). We a few days ago emailed Mr Benn, with copy to Ms Dodds, as well as to UK Labour Party Leader, Sir Keir Starmer, and also Leader of the Labour Party of Ireland, Deputy Ivana Bacik in regard to our formal request to the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland that this very important cross-border conveying/de-facto trafficking potential evasion of conversion practices banning legislation element ensure this is included in legislation. This is especially timely given the most welcome recent announcement by the Labour Party in the UK that conversion practices banning is going to be a top level legislative item in its programme for government, coming at an early stage of the latter: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/2024/06/13/labour-pledges-to-ban-conversion-therapy-election-manifesto/.

In our communication we have emphasised how important it is for our Trans community of Ireland that the anti-Trans dimension of conversion practices be included in legislation, especially given the far right anti-Trans campaign one of whose major aspects includes influencing NHS services provision. A valuable information document being conveyed to us by Trans Healthcare Action (THA), Ireland, and provided on to Mr Benn regarding conversion practices and our Trans community.

We are very pleased to provide news of our communication of a few days ago to the Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. We shall in the event of Mr Benn’s confirmation as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland being announced post-election day provide further formal follow up.

For more on background please see https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/pan-british-isles-work-by-the-network-sees-improvement-prospects-for-more-robust-legislation-to-ban-conversion-practices/ and https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/two-different-records-to-date-concerning-bills-to-ban-conversion-therapy-therapies-uk-and-republic-of-ireland/.

More information to follow post General Election! contact.lgbtnetwork@gmail.com

Wishing our friends at Bourne Free a fantastic Pride. Your work through Pride is so important to celebrate our great LGBTQI+ communities family, with all we bring to our society and country, and of equal importance LGBTQI+ ‘Ally-ship.’ It is through ally-ship that so much has been and continues to be accomplished for the enrichment of our society and country.

This year’s Bourne Free Pride is especially auspicious as it comes at a time when the tide for introduction of robust legislation to ban the toxic mental health harming and suicides causing conversion practices is being at last being accorded with the seriousness that it has always deserved, but held back for so long by insidious far right influences that insidiously established themselves in politics. Pride is more important than ever too due to the said influences national and internationally connected efforts to target our Trans and Non-Binary communities.

On two very different and wholesome notes. Firstly, we are thrilled that an initiative that the Network has worked so hard across years to see established — namely a multiple relevant and key stakeholders in conjunction directly with our community, initiative to support our Bournemouth, Christchurch, and Poole area’s LGBTQ+ homeless and at risk of homelessness and sofa surfing communities — has taken form.

This is the BCP area BCP Council supported Homelessness Partnership’s LGBTQ+ Disproportionately Affected Sub-Group initiative, whose foundations were laid through centrally important LGBT+ Network for Change work (https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/updates-concerning-our-uk-prisons-lgbtq-initiative-and-our-lgbtq-homeless-sofa-surfing-initiative/), including our initiative’s origins being grounded in appropriate supportive mental health services by the NHS. In this case this was achieved in the year before the Homelessness Partnership’s LGBTQ+ Disproportionately Affected Sub-Group initiative commenced with our partnering work and educational and training support services to NHS’ Dorset Healthcare Foundation Trust’s ‘Steps to Wellbeing’ programme.

After 1+ year’s direct and close work by Network Lead Alan Mercel-Sanca and the BCP Council supported Homelessness Partnership’s Lead, Fraser Nicholson, the LGBTQ+ Disproportionately Affected Sub-Group initiative was born. We from that point have played a key role in recommending appropriate organisations to be invited to join the Sub-Group, first of which was Bourne Free on our LGBTQI+ community local area’s side. So it gives us enormous joy that the special profiling of the Sub-Group initiative under the BCP Council Homelessness Partnership is going to have a special presence at this year’s Bourne Free.

We are very pleased to provide below copy of the Sub-Group supportive BCP Council Homelessness Partnership’s PRESS RELEASE, that includes a few words from ourselves:

‘New drive to prevent LGBTQ+ homelessness in the BCP area to be launched at Bourne Free
The Homelessness Partnership BCP is to launch a major homelessness prevention drive for the LGBTQ+ community in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole:’

The Partnership – made up of 50 local organisations that are committed to ensuring
everyone has a safe place to call home – will be offering support to LGBTQ+ people at the
Bourne Free pride event, which takes place at Meyrick Park on 5-6 July.
Charity Stonewall claims that almost one in five LGBTQ+ people experience homelessness at
some point in their lives. According to the Albert Kennedy Trust, 24% of young people
experiencing homelessness identify as LGBTQ+ and 77% believe that coming out to their
parents was the main factor.

To ensure the BCP community is supported year-round to prevent homelessness, and not
just during the summer Pride season, the Homelessness Partnership has also launched a
dedicated LGBTQ+ support area on its website.
Bourne Free Co-Chair, Dawn Lewis, said homelessness prevention is “critically important”
for the LGBTQ+ community in BCP due to “several unique challenges faced by the group”.
Dawn explained: “Many LGBTQ+ individuals, particularly youth, experience rejection from
their families and communities, leading to a higher risk of homelessness. Discrimination and
stigmatisation in housing and employment also exacerbate this issue, making it more
difficult for LGBTQ+ individuals to find and maintain stable living conditions.

“A pride event like Bourne Free is essential as it celebrates diversity and serves as a vital
platform for raising awareness and providing support. Such events help to connect
individuals with resources, support networks and organisations that can assist in preventing
homelessness. By fostering a sense of belonging and community, pride events empower
LGBTQ+ individuals, reduce isolation and promote mental and emotional well-being.”

The Homelessness Partnership BCP will be active at Bourne Free, promoting its Let’s Talk
Renting service. People renting privately can call 01202 985104 for free advice on rent
arrears, eviction notices, mould, damp, property disrepair and anti-social behaviour.
Kate Parker, Strategic Lead at Shelter Dorset, said: “We know from our research that gay
and lesbian people are twice as likely to be discriminated against when looking for a home.
This campaign will play a vital role in raising awareness and providing homelessness support to the LGBTQ+ community. We encourage anyone who is struggling to get help and advice
as soon as they can.”

Jack Cannon, Team Leader at St Mungo’s Northover Court, pointed out that LGBTQ+
individuals, particularly transgender people, are at risk of violence. Jack said: “Some may
engage in sex work as a means of survival, increasing their vulnerability. Addressing these
issues with the partnership is vital to reducing homelessness and ensuring all LGBTQ+
individuals have access to safe, inclusive and supportive housing solutions.”

At BCP Council, Homelessness Partnerships Coordinator Fraser Nicholson explained why the local authority is backing the LGBTQ+ homelessness prevention drive.
Fraser said: “At a time where homelessness of all forms has been continuing to rise
nationally, and is affecting people that may not have previously been at risk of losing their
accommodation, we know that some groups remain at higher disproportionate risk.  This is
certainly the case with the LGBTQ+ community, particularly young people and trans people,
and we are committed to tackling this lack of equality as a local partnership.”

At the LGBT+ Network for Change, Network Lead Officer Alan Mercel-Sanca said enhanced
support for the “LGBTQ+ homeless and sofa surfing community was badly needed”.
Alan said: “Mental health support is a core foundation of our approach, given the extreme
distress caused by prejudice and attempted conversion practices of those finding
themselves in the terrible position of LGBTQ+ homelessness. We’ve been engaging the NHS
in this joined-up partnership approach from the outset – a unique initiative.” 

To find support from the Homelessness Partnership BCP, go to www.hpbcp.org. To discover
more about Bourne Free, visit www.bournefree.co.uk.

Finally, on a direct Network team note, we are delighted that on our recommendation to the Bourne Free Team, that Network Team member and volunteer, Sylvester Edwards (originally from the Caribbean, and who has experienced the very real horrors of conversion practices type influences) is a volunteer with Bourne Free LGBT Pride 2024. We wish Sylvester a fantastic Pride and greatly appreciate the Bourne Free Team’s inviting him to be a Bourne Free volunteer at this year’s Pride!

The LGBT+ Network for Change has been active since June 2023 at Ireland and UK parliaments levels regarding endeavours to close a major potential loophole in legislation banning conversion practices. This concerns the risk of cross-border conveying of victims of these toxic practices (that those engaged in their carrying out and their apologists prefer to term ‘therapies’) on the island of Ireland: https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/two-different-records-to-date-concerning-bills-to-ban-conversion-therapy-therapies-uk-and-republic-of-ireland/

We are delighted to update here that our representations, backed by a major report and set of supportive documents, have been securing very supportive responses with the relevant parliamentary committees in the Oireachtas (Leinster House: Parliament of the Republic of Ireland) and in Westminster. These being respectively the Oireachtas Committee on Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the House of Commons Women and Equalities Committee. We have received formal letters/communications from the secretariats of both committees on behalf of their chairs and members. In these, confirmation has been provided that the cross-border conveying potential evasion of legislation loophole is a matter that will certainly be featuring for consideration at pre-legislative scrutiny stage in both parliaments, and that the insights and details the Network has provided will be taken up for consideration in the said scrutiny.

The Network on the occasion of Trans awareness and Anti-Bullying Week 2023, was delighted to have received contact from Grant Thornton LLP UK (https://www.grantthornton.co.uk/) that in support to the purposes Trans awareness and Anti-Bullying Week 2023, that the LGBT+ Network for Change had been selected as the sole beneficiary of the company’s quiz (held last Wednesday) to fundraise for work being undertaken by UK registered LGBTQI+ community support organisations assistive to the educational and actions purposes of this very important week in the global LGBTQI+ community and LGBTQI+ Allies, annual calendar.

This recognition by Grant Thornton LLP UK of our work in such as areas as Trans community members support in UK prisons, and more broadly our work in the area of bills to ban ‘conversion practices’ in the UK, Republic of Ireland, and countries in Africa, is greatly appreciated by the Network. It indicates too how companies of such national and international stature as Grant Thornton LLP UK, take seriously the issues that Trans awareness and Anti-Bullying Week was founded to highlight.

We are very pleased to support the NHS Dorset Maternity & Neonatal Voices survey initiative, having been contacted by NHS Dorset to seek support for LGBTQI+ input. 

‘I reach out to you to see if you could share with any relevant contacts within the LGBTQ+ community. I feel strongly that we need to hear more from these families to ensure any issues they are experiencing are addressed so that services are more accessible and meet their needs. 

Rachel Filmer

Dorset Maternity & Neonatal Voices Lead Representative

Here are some details we have been kindly provided with, including the survey link.

What is Dorset Maternity & Neonatal Voices?

We are local parents who represent local families within the local service. Our role is to listen, to inform ourselves on the issues local families face and ensure their needs are being met as the service develops and improves. In order to do this, we must ensure that we hear from families who are representative of our local community.

How can people share feedback or get involved?

For about another week, our surveys are online.

We have one for those who’ve been pregnant or given birth in the last year, which is here:
www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/9LPWQJP

We have one for partners here: https://forms.office.com/e/AnPxNPFWWf

If you want to share a post on your social media, there’s a post pinned to the top of our facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/DorsetMaternityVoices

Outside of that, we have a feedback form that’s always online – it can be filled in by the person who’s experienced it, or by a third party if maybe you’ve heard of some issues within the community that you feel should be raised. You can find that here: https://forms.office.com/e/duUhRkUfkZ

And we have a community group for local families on Facebook where we share updates and seek ad hoc feedback – you’re very welcome to join as an organisation or individuals and share with those you’re working with.

Rachel Filmer

Dorset Maternity & Neonatal Voices Lead Representative

Two different records to date concerning Bills to Ban Conversion Therapy/Therapies (UK, and Republic of Ireland) – representation on specific actions made to the UK Government (addressed to the NI Secretary of State, and associated ministers) by the LGBT+ Network for Change, further to revelations brought to our attention:

Both the UK and the Republic of Ireland have for the past five years independently but in parallel been responding to the need to remedy the de-facto abusive, grave mental health harm and attempted and successful suicide attempts and suicide of LGBTQ+ victims of so-called conversion ‘therapy/therapies.’  Proscribing the latter in law, making such practices illegal/criminal, and their practitioners subject to criminal proceedings in the courts, has to date met with very different responses in the two countries — the Republic of Ireland, and the UK, with part of the latter, Northern Ireland (Six Counties Ulster) being a part of the island of Ireland and as such subject to at the very least the spirit of the Belfast ‘Good Friday’ Agreement.

In the Republic of Ireland it has been found that the cross/all parties unambiguous and heartfelt backing for a robust, effective at meaningful relief from the cruel and abusive phenomena that conversion ‘therapies’ comprise of, level, that the Government led Bill to Ban Conversion Therapies enjoys clear, enthusiastic and unmitigated support. 

In the UK, the picture is sadly very different. Government leadership on the Bill in the UK that was committed to has been and continues to be at best desultory and beset with issues that indicate less than full commitment to the humane goal of victims of conversion therapies support and protection. 

It also lacks, it appears the same degree and level of cross/all parties support of earnest, focused kind (https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/30/lgbtq-labour-thatcher-section-28) that exists in the Republic of Ireland. This is depressing from a UK LGBT+ community and LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ community perspective where this crucial matter of banning conversion ‘therapies’ in an effective meaningful form – wont of focus/seriousness leaves the latter in a continuing position of completely unacceptable powerlessness and vulnerability to religious intolerant ‘conservative’ de-facto anti-LGBT/LGBTQ+ community harming position. 

The UK ‘religious’ in the UK and from the UK global outreach entities — including foremost the NI/Belfast-based Core Issues Trust  – position of very effective support from the current UK Government administration is all too well exemplified in a Core Issues Trust website page excerpt below:

Excerpt:  ‘ … How can banks be allowed to take the role of political campaigners as has been the case with Barclays Bank? Hopefully this is something Andrew Griffith, appointed to investigate the activity of banks closing accounts, will look into. We can be thankful for former Business Secretary, Jacob Rees-Mogg’s intervention seeking an amendment to the Digits Market Bill to “prevent banks from blacklisting customers who hold controversial views” …  Strength to his arm!’  Source: https://core-issues.org/core-issues-trust-vs-barclays-account-closure/

Of course in this matter UK banks, and in this case Barclays Bank in particular, are simply and diligently following the spirit and letter of the Equality Act 2010 (which both Core Issues Trust and its de-facto revealed support in the current UK Government ‘Conservative & Unionist Party’ administration evidences), as well of course a principle of basic decency and equity where non-heterosexual and non-cisgender minors, youth, and young adults subject to parental/family/closed-religious social groups of extreme intolerant of LGBT identities kind are concerned. 

Such activity constitutes de-facto abusive of positions of daily life control kind situations that have no place in the UK, and especially so in regard to following the wholesome and human rights for All spirit of the Equality Act 2010. 

The LGBT+ Network for Change has been more concerned about the fact that in light of UK taxpayers funding by the UK Government/FCDO – ‘UK Direct Aid’ for an influential ‘conservative’/religious platform in Uganda, UK Charity Commission (Northern Ireland section) across many years very controversial Equality Act 2010 spirit beaching support for NI based ‘Core Issues Trust’ interventions against in NI, but with international [including in Africa] activities de-facto promoting anti-LGBT hate, that the UK itself is being presented at global level as a country that presents in word LGBT human rights and SAFETY, but in reality at practical level has been revealed to be actively anti-LGBT.

We have provided representations to ministerial (Africa Minister) and Cabinet Office (NI Secretary of State, and associated Equality Minister responsible for overseeing implementation of the UK bill to ban conversion therapy), and highest level relevant UK Government departmental officials (Permanent Under Secretary of the FCDO), on these matters in the recent days, weeks, and months.

Here we wish to record our position on the UK government (both current Conservative administration, and still more importantly UK Government relevant international [FCDO] departmental actual record) on the international implications of such a record.  Foremost of these being harm/disruption being caused to the Republic of Ireland’s very different positive in spirit and focus ‘all political parties’ proactive approach to bringing in a robust, practical on the ground implemented Government bill to ban conversion therapies, and the de-facto revealed current UK Government and UK government departmental (FCDO, with relevant BHC country sections) record in Africa.

In these two directions, as the relevant UK Government Cabinet and ministerial level office holders, and executive-level departmental level officials are aware the LGBT+ Network for Change has been and is taking the necessary actions at formal communications level.

The opportunity to transform the current situation by UK Government dialogue with the Government of Ireland in this shared area of both countries – one ‘Brexited’ from the EU, and the other an EU member state, provides enormous opportunities for mature political level liaison and collaboration between Dublin and London/Belfast. The LGBT+ Network for Change position is that the UK under the spirit as well as the letter of the Common Travel Area (CTA) and also the spirit and the bilateral government to government mechanisms of the All-Ireland Belfast ‘Good Friday’ Agreement should be honoured in spirit AND especially in deed/practice in this matter of pan-British Isles [Republic of Ireland and UK] sharing of LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ UK and Republic of Ireland significance, and indeed of broader UK with EU post-Brexit significance.

The position of the LGBT+ Network for Change on the current/present harming of bills to ban conversion therapies being finalised, and/or considered proactively or less than proactively on both sides of the Irish Sea, is that in the case of the very advanced work by the government of the Republic of Ireland in this area through it’s own Bill in this area, that the UK Government per se has obligations to support mitigation action regarding the situation of conversion therapies hubs such as the Core Issues Trust international impacts (especially in the Republic of Ireland, and in the Global South [especially in Africa]).  This said, on evidence of Core Issues Trust itself, active intervention of a clearly in the Conservative & Unionist Party UK Government administration senior [non-ministerial] very influential member of the said Party’s Christian/Religious Right, taken sides against victims of conversion therapies abuses of minors/youth/young adults in less than free, unhealthy controlled personal circumstances: please see excerpt above from https://core-issues.org/core-issues-trust-vs-barclays-account-closure/

The LGBT+ Network for Change (Network), is engaged actively in Rwanda in support to the country’s LGBT+ and LGBTQ+ communities (the ‘Q’ standing for ‘questioning’: those enroute to full self-identifications as non-heterosexual and/or non-cisgender). However, we have also a proactive record of speaking up for LGBT people in Uganda, a country that recently passed its ‘Anti-Homosexuality Act’ under the impress and direction of religious/Christian influences of fundamentalist intolerant kinds. These latter having core UK and USA far right Conservative religious fundamentalist groups/entities active involvement and strong involvement in anti-LGBT hate inspiring through comparable religious groups/entities in the Global South, especially Africa. 

The Network has in the case of Uganda in particular, had frankly very disappointing experiences of engagement with the UK Government’s Foreign & Commonwealth & Development Department (FCDO) and its British High Commission (BHC) entities, such as but not limited to Uganda. Please see: https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/network-support-to-uganda-lgbt-lesbian-community-request-to-british-high-commission-kampala-regarding-ravaging-of-covid-19-in-lesbian-safe-house/.   

As all know, at the end of May this year the Government of Uganda passed a vicious piece of legislation – Anti-Homosexuaity Act (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-Homosexuality_Act,_2023_(Uganda). 

Words — formally expressed words — the Network has received on email from the UK FCDO and BHC Kampala, of the strongest disapproval of the Ugandan Government’s open and extreme action of taking religious [Christian faith in its most extreme/intolerant form] inspired and directed persecutory hatred of non-heterosexual and gender minorities Ugandan citizens to a level comparable to anti-Jewish community hatred in Nazi Germany of the mid to late 1930s, of LGBT human rights support have in formal communications been received from the UK Government (FCDO) by the LGBT+ Network for Change.

Unfortunately in our direct communications and evidence-based experience the UK Government (FCDO) has fallen badly short in its record concerning actual effective/meaningful practical support to the Ugandan LGBT community, and, much worse has been revealed as taking a de-facto practical and ‘UK influence’ level position against Ugandan LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ community members facing a ruthless and legal and ‘on the ground’ religious fundamentalist directed and inspired ‘lynch mob’ murderous ‘culture.’ 

The LGBT+ Network for Change believes that such de-facto Whitehall with, effectively but not openly stated Cabinet Office and 10 Downing Street level record/choices on this very important international level Human Rights matter has for the good name of the UK now most pressing duties to take action. These transcend narrow nationalistic (even, perceived, xenophobic) ‘Brexit’ considerations – the matter concerned impacting  very negatively on the good name of the UK internationally, and one that is on the global level harming the very name of ‘Britain.’ Please read more on this urgent matter at: https://lgbtnetwork4change.com/two-different-records-to-date-concerning-bills-to-ban-conversion-therapy-therapies-uk-and-republic-of-ireland/

NOTE: Contacts have been made by the Network further to an email received by us from the FCDO Kigali Political Officer that indicated responses to our questions and support requests for the Rwandan LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ community (communications with the UK Government presence/BHC in Rwanda by our partnering organisation the HRFRA). We have weeks on received no contact back, as we anticipated.

Given the compelling particulars we attribute this unprofessional non-communication conduct by the UK Government’s representatives in Kigali as related to a) that government’s Home Office anti-LGBT ‘hostile environment’ being ruthlessly delivered, and b) that UK Government civil servants [Whitehall] public statements concerning UK Government support for LGBT human rights overseas, being at best disingenuous.

‘No response,’ ‘no communication’ is in fact a response and is a communication of realities at variance with government policy statements. We will of course be continuing with our initiative to through/with HRFRA support LGBT community members in Rwanda.

Almost a month on from providing an email directly addressed to the Foreign Commonwealth & Development (FCDO) / British High Commissioner in Kigali, concerning Network requests for UK Government support via the FCDO/BHC to the Rwandan LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ community, as an outcome of aspects of the LGBT+ Network for Change – Human Rights First Rwanda Association (HRFRA) MoU, we (nor those copied in to the communication, including our friends at HRFRA and the CEO of Stonewall) have not received a response.

This is very concerning given FCDO and Home Office statements on support for global LGBT human rights — especially in the context of Rwanda being a deportation of asylum seekers destination, many of whom have LGBT contexts, despite the country having a very poor LGBT+ & LGBTQ+ human rights and equality record.

Lead officers of our partnering organisation, the HRFRA, have last week had a meeting with BHC Kigali, in which they were provided with posts, names, and corresponding email addresses to provide to us for follow up on our questions and requests.

We are presently following up on this — giving a few further days for the courtesy of a reply to our original email, that as mentioned Stonewall are aware of — but are aware that contact, even a basic acknowledgment of receiving our email, should have been received (we doubt in the circumstances that except for the BHC – HRFRA meeting, we would have any communication back). And that this reflects not well to date on the FCDO (and by extension the UK Home Office) in regard to the disparity between departmental statements and actual action where LGBT human rights are concerned. We look forward to update soon once we have made the further contact referred to above.