Date: Sun, 09 Aug 1998 14:58:53 +0100 Subject: South Africa + Southern Africa From: OW-jgh This week a delegation from the South African "National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality" visited London, with assistance from Unison's Lesbian + Gay Group. The National Coalition for Gay and Lesbian Equality is a voluntary association of more than 74 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered organisations in South Africa. Formed in December 1994, the Coalition lobbied successfully for the retention of sexual orientation as one of the grounds of nondiscrimination in the Constitution. The Coalition is mandated to work for legal and social equality for its members. Its work includes law reform, lobbying, litigation, advocacy, employment equity, leadership training and development. Major policy interventions have been successfully undertaken by the Coalition notably on the issues of employment; decriminalisation of same-sex conduct; legal framework for the removal of unfair discrimination in schools. On Wed., 5th August, 3 members of the NCGLE had a meeting with representatives of Equality Alliance, OutRage!, Amnesty International, 8th May Group, Shakti, and Charter 88, to exchange information about the current L/G/B/T situation in South Africa and the U.K.. Representatives of Amnesty International and the 8th May Group also gave a joint presentation on the situation in Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. ====================================== It was interesting to note the differences and similarities. For example, The Lisa Grant Employment Rights case in the U.K. was closely parallelled by the case of a lesbian police woman in Pretoria. Whereas the U.K. case was long and drawn out, and eventually rejected by the European Court of Justice, the Pretoria case lasted only one week, and the previous legal definition of "spouse" was found to be unconstitutional. Whilst the Anglican "Lambeth Conference" in the U.K. this month has produced numerous reports of extreme homophobia by bishops from a number of countries, (including several from Central + East Africa), the Anglican church in South Africa, till recently under the leadership or Archbishop Desmond Tutu, has been largely supportive of L/G/B/T human rights. The NCGLE stressed on a number of occasions that their successes were due to promoting the notion of all-inclusive HUMAN rights, rather than rights for lesbians and gay men. ====================================== There was also a reception the previous evening at the South African High Commission. Those present included: -- the highly enthusiastic High Commissioner, Ms. Cheryl Carolus; -- Unison's enthusiastic General Secretary, Rodney Bickerstaffe; -- the four delegates from NCGLE, headed by Mazibuko Jara; -- Angela Mason, Stonewall; -- representatives of U.K. L/G/B/T groups and supporters, (Equality Alliance, OutRage!, Amnesty International, 8th May Group). Occasions when the U.K. Government have been similarly hospitable to L/G/B/T groups could sadly not be recalled. ====================================== Any group wishing to make contact with the NCGLE should send email to coalmj@iafrica.co.za. -- You may leave this list automatically by sending a message to list-processor@diversity.org.uk, containing a line that says unsubscribe outrage-world The 'lists' command will give information about other services