The UK government has been helping to fund the work of a virulently homophobic religious organisation in Uganda, whose leaders have backed a proposed law that would make identifying as gay a criminal offence, a report has found.
Analysing official data given to the International Aid Transparency Initiative (IATI), the report by the Institute for Journalism and Social Change (IJSC) found a “staggering” number of connections between anti-LGBTQ+ organisations in Uganda and international aid donors, including the UK.
According to IATI submissions, the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU), an inter-faith body,has been a direct recipient of UK aid money in its capacity as “implementing partner” of a programme that aims to deliver the Foreign Office’s “ambition for an open society in Uganda”.
In February, members of the IRCU, including the Church of Uganda and several evangelical churches, signed a statement expressing “great concern” over “the growing spread of homosexuality” in Uganda, and the effect of “the LGBTQ agenda” on the wellbeing of children.
Two weeks later, the anti-homosexuality bill 2023 was introduced into parliament in an effort to broaden the country’s anti-gay legislation, and last month it was passed by the Ugandan parliament, with 387 out of 389 MPs voting in favour.
The Foreign Office (FCDO) has confirmed it provided funding to the IRCU from 2021 until earlier this year. FCDO data indicates that, as part of a programme called Uganda – Open Society, which began in June 2021 and is due to run until March 2024, the amount paid to the organisation totalled £134,900.
However a spokesperson said that, following comments made by the IRCU in relation to the anti-homosexuality bill, the UK decided in February to stop the funding.
The proposed law, which was condemned as “probably among the worst of its kind in the world” by the UN human rights chief, Volker Türk, imposes capital and life-imprisonment sentences for gay sex, up to 14 years for “attempted” homosexuality, and 20 years in jail for “recruitment, promotion and funding” of same-sex “activities”.
Anyone who identifies as “a lesbian, gay, transgender, a queer, or any other sexual or gender identity that is contrary to the binary categories of male and female”, could be given a prison sentence of up to 10 years.
The bill is in limbo after President Yoweri Museveni – who this month described homosexuality as “threat … to the human race” – declined to sign it into law and requested the parliament take another look.
Museveni has come under pressure from the US to veto the bill, with a government official warning that if it became law the Biden administration would consider potential “repercussions … perhaps in an economic way”. The US provides more than $950m (£770m) a year to the African nation.
In 2014, the Obama administration reportedly withdrew government aid from the IRCU after the organisation supported the precursor to the 2023 bill, the Anti-Homosexuality Act, which was later annulled by the constitutional court.
After the Ugandan parliament overwhelmingly approved the 2023 bill, the UK’s development minister, Andrew Mitchell, said Britain was “deeply disappointed” by the decision.
Claire Provost, the author of the IJSC report, said: “This research has revealed a really staggering number of connections between anti-LGBT religious organisations in Uganda and international aid donors and development agencies.
“Donors and development agencies, and advocates need to look more broadly across funding in all countries and make sure these practices are not undermining human rights anywhere.”
Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah, a Ghanaian feminist writer involved in the report, said: “Funding has gone to organisations that have spoken publicly and advocated hatred of queer communities. We feel this has to end. We don’t think organisations that promote hate should be funded.”
An FCDO spokesperson said: “The UK government has long been at the forefront of promoting LGBT+ rights internationally and is concerned by the increasing criminalisation of LGBT+ persons in Uganda which threatens minority rights and risks persecution.
“All UK Aid partners are put through rigorous due diligence assessments before receiving any funding. The UK does not currently provide funding to the Inter-Religious Council of Uganda.”