IDAHOTB » Tunisia

IDAHOTB events celebrated all through the Middle East and North Africa

Joel Bedos — Fri, 25 May 2018 17:25:14 +0000

The Arab Foundation for Equality publishes an impressive list of creative and brave events.

In 2018, 30 events were registered, up from 18 the previous year. A sign that the LGBT civil society is growing in strength, courage and visibility, despite the increasingly harsh crackdowns from all sides.

Kudos to all the activists!

See AFE’s report on their special IDAHOTB page

Reports on IDAHOTB 2018 in Middle East and North Africa

Joel Bedos — Fri, 11 May 2018 13:48:16 +0000

In the MENA region, LGBTIQ++ people continue to face invisibility, stigma, discrimination, and violence. Despite growing movements, there persists a significant underrepresentation of gender, sexual, and bodily rights. The Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality has produced this website to shed light on all the work that is being done in the region to promote LGBTIQ++ rights.

We will be collecting regional works from independent activists, organisations, and anyone who shares with us. This websitewill be updated all the time during this month and we will raise our voices against hate and violence.

لا يزال الأشخاص ذوي الميول الجنسية المثلية والثنائية و عابرات/ي الجنس في منطقة الشرق الأوسط وشمال أفريقيا يعانون/يعانين من الخفاء والوصم والتمييز والعنف. على الرغم من التحركات المتنامية، لا يزال هناك نقص كبير في تمثيل الحقوق الجندرية والجنسية والجسدية.

الاحتفال بالْيَوْمَ العالمي لمناهضة رهاب المثلية وثنائية الجنس والعبور الجندري، (IDAHOT)هو حدث يتم الاحتفال به كل 17 مايو ويهدف إلى رفع مستوى الوعي حول التمييز وإساءة المعاملة والعنف بالإضافة إلى انتهاكات حقوق أفراد مجتمع الميم.

هذه السنة، أصدرت المؤسسة العربية للحريات والمساواة (AFE) هذه الصفحة لتسليط الضوء على جميع الأنشطة التي يقام بها لتعزيز أحداث هذا الْيَوْمَ. سنقوم بجمع الأعمال الإقليمية من الناشطات/ين المستقلات/ين والمنظمات وأي شخص ت/يشترك معنا. سيتم تحديث هذا الموقع طوال الوقت خلال هذا الشهر وسنعمل على رفع أصواتنا ضد

IDAHOT 2017 Country Page: Middle-East North Africa

Joel Bedos — Thu, 15 Jun 2017 18:07:12 +0000

An excellent compilation of information coming from the Arab Foundation for Equality

14 NGOs IDAHOT event in the MENA region this year!

26-05-17

This year’s IDAHOT theme was family. Many LGBTIQ++ organisations in the MENA region worked hard on being part of the celebrations this year by organising different events and actions. Some organisations focused on the theme and showed to which extent family support can play a role in fighting or surviving violence and hate; while other organisations initiated talks on the notion and the understanding of “family”. There are other organisations that benefited from this year’s IDAHOT to denounce stigma, violence, and discrimination in our region. The Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality promoted the work of all these initiatives through social media. Here is a compilation of the different activities that were happening throughout the MENA region this year.

1) Lebanon: MOSAIC (MENA Organization for Services, Advocacy, Integration, and Capacity Building)

MOSAIC visited the American University of Science and Technology campus in Beirut to promote tolerance & acceptance of diversity among students. Many students took pictures and posted them on social media using the hashtags: #LGBTIQ #LGBTQ #IDAHOT #MOSAIC #ProudAlly #diversity #لا_للكراهية Let’s end #HomoHate #TransHate #BiHate #NOH8 Student were also invited to write their opinion about hate, homophobia, and transphobia on a “thoughts wall”. Music and artistic activities took place on campus as well.

2) Lebanon: MOSAIC (MENA Organization for Services, Advocacy, Integration, and Capacity Building)

MOSAIC created a touching spotlight video on the common issues TRANS people face daily in Lebanon
يوم واحد من يوميات متغيري/ات النوع الاجتماعي في لبنان
#حقد #كره #عدائية #نظام_بطريركي_بيقتل

3) Regional (MENA): M-Coalition

M-Coalition shared a powerful poster to raise awareness on the dangers of homophobia and transphobia and to denounce criminalisation of homosexuality.

4) Regional (MENA): M-Coalition

M-Coalition created and posted a short video to show that family support is a step towards protecting from homophobia and transphobia

5) Regional (MENA): Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality, GSRC

The Gender and Sexuality Research Center of the Arab Foundation for Freedoms and Equality created a new Lamha video with Ameen Rhayem correcting the terms used by the media when talking about the LGBT community.

6) Lebanon: Helem Lebanon

Helem Lebanon launched the 2017 IDAHOT campaign with a video under the slogan “Homophobia is terrorism”

7) Lebanon: Helem Lebanon

Helem campaign included posters showing the difference between acceptance and hate.

8) Lebanon: Helem Lebanon

Helem organised a conference titled “LGBTQI+ Between Social Discrimination, State Violations, and the Achievements of the Human Right Movement.” The conference included seven panels on several LGBTQI+ topics.

Date: Saturday, 20th of May, 2017

Location: Metro Al Madina (cancelled – see reason below)

Conference agenda:

The media and alternative media – Subhiya Najjar, Jad Ghosn, and Elie Faris
Homosexuality in court rulings – Legal Agenda
Core of LGBTQI+ rights movement in Lebanon – Helem
Trust no one be aware of everyone (vulnerabilities of LGBTQI+ refugees in Lebanon) – Mosaic
Mental and psychological health – LebMASH
Sexual Health Services: Discriminating and Distinguishing – Marsa
Our positioning regarding the regional movement- AFE

Unfortunately, after receiving numerous threats from extremist religious groups in the country, the venue was cancelled and the conference was relocated to the digital space under the slogan and hashtag: #وصمة_عار (stigma)

9) Lebanon: Helem, AFE, MOSAIC, LebMASH, Marsa, Legal Agenda

As a response to the threats received and the cancellation of Helem event (See number 9), a group of lebanese NGOs launched the campaign #وصمة_عار and broadcasted an online conference and a live tweet. All the videos from the conference are available on the NGOs Facebook pages.

10) Tunisia: Mawjoudin, Chouf, DAMJ, ATFD, ADLI

In a great national collaboration, Tunisian LGBTQI rights Mawjoudin and DAMJ, feminist organisations Chouf and ATFD and Association for the Protection of Individual rights ADLI organised an IDAHOT celebration at cinema le Rio. The programme included an overview of LGBTQI situation in Tunisia, a documentary and a drag-show by artist Lorenzo. The event was also broadcasted live on Facebook.

11) Tunisia: Chouf

Chouf organised a collective exhibition titled: AU TEMPS DU 230 in Dar Bech Hama featuring artists:

Nidhal Chamekh
Aicha Snoussi
Nadya Zarrougui
Younes Ben Slimane
Hela Ammar
Wafa Ben Romdhane
Atef Maatallah
Ibrahim Maatouss
Lamia Mechichi
Willis from tunis
Roua Bida
Ilyes Messaoudi

The event included a buffet and a concert by the group AWRAH

12) Regional collaboration: North Africa (Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, Mauritania, Libya, Egypt, and Sudan)

LGBTQI NGOs from North Africa organised an online campaign under the slogan #OurColoursAreTheCrime

Supporters were invited to join this campaign by blogging, tweeting and publishing posts with stories of violence in public spaces and on the street.

The NGOs involved in this action are:

Alouen association (Algeria)
Free Feminist Union (Morocco)
Mawjoudin We Exist (Tunisia)
Nouakchott Solidarity Association (Mauritania)
Quzah Magazine (Libya)
Rainbow Egypt (Egypt)
Rainbow Sudan (Sudan)

13) Regional Collaboration: Nile Valley (Egypt and Sudan)

As part of its celebration of the Egyptian and the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia, Bedayaa Organization for LGBTQI in Nile Valley Area (Egypt & Sudan) in collaboration with Mesahat Foundation for Sexual & Gender Diversity and Trans Homoz DZ launched “My Family My Choice” regional campaign from North Africa on May 2017 .

The camping contained many activities such as online media campaigns and events in Sudan (Khartoum), Algeria (Algeria), and Egypt; in both Cairo and Alexandria.

The campaign focused on the concept of “Queer Alternative Families” and the support and solidarity that we gain from our queer families, through open discussions in the presence of LGBTQ community members and their allies. Moreover, filming and screening of short documentaries about queer families’ life in Egypt and the struggle of LGBTQ persons in Sudan.

14) Lebanon: Helem Lebanon

Helem shared a documentary that talks explicitly about the LGBTQI+ struggle and the rights movement in Lebanon

IDAHOT 2017 country page: Tunisia

IDAHO — Fri, 12 May 2017 09:40:25 +0000

IDAHOT-Tunisia: Célébration Idahot – Tunisie – performances, lectures, film screening, party; May 17 from 5:30 p.m. @ Le Rio, 92 Rue Radhia Haddad (Ex 92 rue de Yougoslavie), Tunisia
Alouen Association (Algeria), Mawjoudin Association (Tunisia, FB), Nouakchott Solidarity Association (Mauritania), Rainbow Egypt (Egypt), Rainbow Sudan (Sudan), Quzah Magazine (Libya FB), Free Feminist Union (Morocco): #OurColoursAreTheCrime – online campaign

IDAHOT Report 2016: Tunisia

IDAHO — Sat, 28 May 2016 10:19:49 +0000

Tunisian feminist and LGBT activists once again came together this year to hold the second edition of Chouftouhonna, Tunisia’s International Feminist Art Festival. The festival ran throughout the IDAHOT period and featured art and performances from campaigners and profressional artists, that included several pieces focused on the experiences of LGB women.

On an international level, an online campaign was launched by Amnesty International targeting Tunisia’s anti-gay laws. The campaign calls upon the government to lift anti-homosexual laws used to target and persecute gay and bisexual men, and also included a petition.

Due to the security and legal concerns facing Tunisia’s LGBT community there were no public events held to mark IDAHOT 2016. If you are a campaigner or activist in Tunisia and would like to tell us about your plans or action please get in touch.

Looking Ahead: Tunisia in 2016

IDAHO — Fri, 15 Apr 2016 11:29:02 +0000

In Tunis, feminist activists have announced the Second edition of CHOUFTOUHONNA, Tunisia’s International Feminist Art Festival, which will feature a number of performances and exhibitions focused on the experiences of LBT women.

Due to the difficult political and legal situation for LGBTI individuals in Tunisia we are not expecting a large number of events to be held on IDAHOT 2016. However, we have already confirmed a small number of actions, and hope that the global solidarity fostered by this year’s events will in some small way benefit Tunisia’s local LGBTI community.

For more information about events across the world please keep an eye out for our upcoming annual reports

IDAHOT events 2015: Tunisia marks IDAHOT with International Feminist Art Festival

Joel Bedos — Tue, 05 May 2015 06:51:35 +0000

Organisation Chouf (“look!”) organised an international Feminist Arts Festival, which invited expressions from artists from the region and beyond under the subject:

« Five minutes after you birth, they will decide your name, your nationality, your religion, your sexuality and your community … and you’ll spend your whole life fighting for things you have not chosen and defend stupidly. »

The 70 contributions were displayed during an exhibition on May 17th in Tunis,

The organisers have produced a short video reporting on the event which can be accessed on their Facebook page

The Embassy of Canada in Tunisia marked IDAHOT with a Rainbow Flag outside there building. Read more here.

IDAHOT Report 2014: Tunisia

IDAHO — Wed, 04 Jun 2014 17:00:10 +0000

Tunisia

Several Women’s associations mobilised this year to celebrate the Tunisian International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, whilst a Facebook campaign invited people to show resistance against homophobic hate.

A day of meetings, debates and cultural events was held to lay the foundations of an activists’ movement uniting lesbian, bisexual and transgender women and feminists in Tunisia. This event, coordinated by the Tunisian Association of Democratic Women and the organisation Chouf (“Look!”) marked a milestone in the emergence of “a space for expression and construction”, which women who have sex with other women find extremely difficult to access, given the dual oppression which they confront daily in Tunisian society.

The debates focused on developing human rights arguments for advocacy, and on web security, in a context where online activity is potentially dangerous for LGBTI communities.

Poster for IDAHOT 2014 in Tunisia

The organisation Damj also launched a Facebook campaign to alert people to the state of homophobia in the country, and also to invite resistance. Campaign visuals depict a bruised face with the caption ‘your punches won’t hurt me’, in a bold message that violence will not silence Tunisian LGBTI communities. Damj also organised an afternoon community discussion on confronting myths and realities about homosexuality.

“Your punches won’t hurt me” IDAHOT 2014 online campaign from Tunisia

Tunisia IDAHO Report 2013

IDAHO — Mon, 17 Jun 2013 14:34:47 +0000

Tunisian Human Rights organisations joined a regional Memorandum prepared to mark the Day:

MEMORANDUM 2013

By The Regional Network Against Homophobia

For the joint improvement of the legal and social status of the LGBTIQ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex and Queer) people in

Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Iraq, Israel, Lebanon, Macedonia, Montenegro, Palestine, Serbia,Tunisia and Turkey

“Memorandum 2013” has been prepared in dedication to May 17, International Day Against Homophobia.

“The Regional Network Against Homophobia” is established in May 2011 with the participation of LGBTIQ organizations and initiatives in the Middle East, North Africa, the Balkans and Caucasus. The Network stands against homophobia and transphobia but also against sexism, nationalism, militarism and religious conservatism that perpetuate the heterosexist ideology.

The network, which aims to stand up against similar political patterns and break mental and physical borders that separate us, declares its first Annual Memorandum on how the year of 2012 looked concerning the LGBTIQ people’s human rights in these 18 countries. This Memorandum is a true summary of the large scale of homophobia and transphobia which ranges from criminalization and executions to condemning LGBTIQ society in the name of religion, morality or even “fighting capitalism”.

We are here to underline that human rights are not something given by someone, so for their protection it cannot be intervened selectively. We are here to say LGBTIQ rights are human rights. LGBTIQ people are more likely to experience discrimination, harassment and threat of violence due to their sexual orientation or gender identity. This is due to the existence of homophobia and transphobia on a high level. Some of the factors that reinforce homophobia and transphobia on a larger scale are moral, nationalist, religious, and political beliefs of dominant groups in these countries.

Therefore there has to be well-suited protection for the LGBTIQ society, which these countries all fail to assure. Protection of discrimination and the integrity of the person are one of the priorities in the international documents to which all the mentioned above are signers.

No country or institution should deny its people their rights because of their sexual orientation or gender identity which is why we need governments, NGOs and society to stand up against the violations of these rights in our countries.

INTRODUCTION TO THE EXISTING SITUATIONS

It is stated in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights(1). The sexual orientation or the gender identity could not be a reason for a human being not to be treated equally in dignity. Human beings from all sexual orientations and gender identities are entitled to the full enjoyment of all human rights.

Everyone is entitled to enjoy all human rights without discrimination(2) on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity(3). Everyone is entitled to equality before the law and the equal protection of the law. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity understands any distinction, exclusion, restriction or preference based on sexual orientation or gender identity which has the purpose or effect of nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise, on an equal basis, of all human rights and fundamental freedoms.

In our regions, the countries stated above, the LGBTIQ population is living under pressure and fear of being who they are. The existence of social exclusion and political oppression against the people who don’t fit the heteronormative traditional concept is generally based on a dangerous strategy from the political structures, which is keeping them in the dark and not letting any space for visibility of the LGBTIQ society, which is also continuously denying the existence and the relevance of the activists’ fight for representation of the society and the presence of these rights in the public sphere.

The only way of expression for the LGBTIQ society is through staying in the “closet” like the only place for their relations, emotions and life, so the general public has the false legitimate way of denying them because of their fear of the unknown, justified by the potential destruction of the majority’s moral values. This patriarchal and heteronormative atmosphere is pushing the LGBTIQ people into shame and fear of expressing themselves which has a destructive consequence of stealth discrimination.

By silencing the LGBTIQ activists, their organizations and the events organized by LGBTIQ organizations, the lack of protection of the LGBTIQ society in these countries creates impossible conditions for this people to live in dignity, equal and without discrimination.

The effect of creating hierarchies among human rights can be felt in the politic and cultural sphere. The question of the sexual and gender rights are on the bottom of the pyramid and therefore the conclusion for the wider public is that these rights should wait some better time as there are more important problems on the agenda of the government to be dealing with.

In all of our countries there are constant violations of LGBTIQ rights and lack of government efforts to condemn such violations and protecting this society, even somewhere the government encourages the oppression of this society.

We want to remind of the importance and the necessity for the States to protect their people and ensure the protection of their rights. We call upon our governments to take their responsibilities and our demands very seriously and start acting by the international law with ensuring a protection of the LGBTIQ rights and ensure an effective amendment and implementation of the legislations.

WE DEMAND

§ Respect, protection and fulfillment of the human rights of LGBTIQ people

§ The right to live a safe life in dignity

The decriminalization of homosexuality

§ Adequate legal protection from hate crimes and hate propaganda

§ Support for the LGBTIQ human rights defenders and civil society groups, with programmatic and financial assistance

§ Non-discriminatory education on sexuality, sexual orientation and gender identity, and training of teachers and school personnel on homophobic and transphobic bullying in all schools

§ Informal education and continuous informing of general population on homophobia, transphobia and heterosexism

§ Training of law enforcement personnel to deal respectfully and effectively with homophobic and transphobic violence

§ Protection of LGBTIQ people from discrimination at workplace

§ Establishing information channels for coordination and working contexts for cooperation of the state institutions and LGBTIQ organizations and groups for developing, improving and implementation of the non-discrimination policies regarding the LGBTIQ people

§ Efficient legal protection in sport against of any kind discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation

§ Equality in access and support for participation in sport of all including gender identity and sexual orientation on all levels

The struggle to end discrimination against LGBTIQ people is a global challenge, and one that is also a priority in promoting human rights. This challenge is easier to be achieved, if it is fought with united forces, not just on national but also on a regional and global level. Therefore, we all have signed this document seeking for support from everywhere. The fight for human rights violated somewhere is a responsibility to everyone from everywhere.

We want our countries to remember the responsibility they have for the LGBTIQ society and we call upon our governments to protect a whole category of people living and seeking for the respect of their rights.