Bill on Today's Order of Business

The bill is on today's Parlimentary Order of Business, commencing at 2pm EAT.

It does not appear to be listed for reading or voting, but comes under Notice of Business to Follow. They may set a date for the vote.

Check out post on How a Bill Becomes Law.

Here is some information posted to the SMUG Facebook group by Spectrum Uganda.

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2012-11-27

Join to condemn the re-introduction of anti-gay bill in Ugandan parliament.

Spectrum Uganda Initiatives Inc speak on behalf of the MSMs (men who have sex with men) and gay people throughout Uganda to condemn the re-introduction of the anti-gay bill in the parliament of Uganda as indicated on Today 27th November 2012, the bill is number 1 on the order paper as business to follow.

The Anti-Homosexuality Bill under consideration by the Ugandan Parliament not only violates the fundamental human rights of Ugandans, but will also impede efforts to combat HIV/AIDS.

Uganda is in great danger of taking a step backwards – away from realizing human rights for its people and away from an effective, evidence and rights-based HIV response. Studies from the past three decades of the HIV epidemic have shown that recognizing the rights of people with different sexual identities is a crucial element of efforts to respond to the virus.

The efforts by health care providers where both stigma and discrimination has been eased, men who have sex with men to pursue HIV prevention, care, and support and treatment services will be hindered.

Politicians and religious fundamentalists have risen and continue to rise against oppressive structures like colonialism, apartheid, despotism and dictatorships. LGBTI persons however continue to experience oppression and violence that derive from colonial laws against adult consensual sex, ideas of morality disguised as African traditional values and religious fundamentalism.

The proposed bill has continued to fuel stigma and discrimination, harassment and arbitrary arrests, alienation from family and faith, lack of access to social services including health, justice, housing, education and dignified livelihoods to the LGBTI community in Uganda, despite Uganda being signatories to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, particularly Article 2, and the AU values of equality and non-discrimination. 

The anti gay bill is "Anti Public Health Bill", or the "Anti-Constitution Bill" as a matter of fact, this Bill represents one of the most serious attacks to date on the 1995 Constitution and on the key human rights protections enshrined in the Constitution of Uganda.

We call upon parents, teachers, land lords, local council authorities, medical and health care providers, civil society leaders, whether in a Community Based Organisation, NGO, or academic institutions , religious leaders, Members of Parliament , media houses to speak loud against the anti gay bill before parliament of Uganda .

We call upon our regional and international partners and allies for support in denouncing this bill in simultaneous demonstrations at Ugandan foreign missions in your respective countries.

We call upon the entire world to protest and demonstrate against this proposed barbaric anti gay.

On behalf of Spectrum Uganda Initiatives Inc, we thank you for your continued support.

For further details please contact:

Moses Kimbugwe
Manyagwa2000@yahoo.com
+256-782854391

Kizza Samuel Ganafa
kgsamuel2000@yahoo.com
+256-772120070

Wambere abudullah
jlongjones@gmail.com
+256-772635542