Rainbow
Sunrise
Mapambazuko
ABOUT US
Our Objectives:
We were formed in 2010 with the following objectives:
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Promote the defense of the rights of LGBTQI+ people in all the territories of the DR Congo and Africa in general.
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Promote the well-being of LGBTQI+ people in Bukavu.
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Inform and sensitize sexual minorities on topics related in particular to HIV / AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), human rights and sexual violence.
The services we provide include identification and awareness of LGBTQI+ people on HIV / AIDS, human rights and behavior change. We distribute condoms and lubricating gels to LGBTQI+ people in the city of Bukavu and the territories, provide LGBTQI+ care for Sexually Transmitted Infections, and voluntary counseling and testing.
We also organise round table discussions between LGBTQI+ on certain laws of the DR Congo, in particular the family code, the penal code and certain international texts, including the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the principle of Yogyakarta, for educating LGBTQI+ to know their rights and know how to claim them once violated. With this in mind, we also collect and document cases of violations of rights of LGBTI people and provide legal assistance in cases of violations of rights of LGBTI people.
An we provide family mediation in cases of rejection and family abandonment of LGBTQ + people.
JEREMIE SAFARI
- EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, RSM
"I am a trans activist hired since 2010 to promote and defend the rights of LGBTQ + people in the region. I hold a university degree in Bank and Judicial Law."
"There is not any legislation that criminalizes homosexuality and therefore it’s not a crime in DRC. But unfortunately the Police and the National Security Agency “ANR” Officers use the article 176 of the Congolese Penal Code that criminalizes activities “against good morale” to oppress the LGBTQI+ Community, pretending that is against good morals"
This leads to blackmail, harassment, discrimination of all kinds from many different places including schooling and health care, homelessness, sexual assault, death threats, illegal jailing and many more infractions on human rights.