Report: Examination of Sexual and Gender Minorities' Lived Experiences in Kenya

Abstract

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and other gender non-conforming (LGBTQ+) people in sub-Saharan Africa face identity-based violations of their human rights and injustices arising from stigma and discrimination across socioecological levels. In Kenya, the increasing visibility of LGBTQ+ people and activity has coincided with the persistence of legal sanctions against same-sex behavior and deep-seated cultural prejudice, including Penal Code provisions that criminalize same-sex activity as an unnatural offence punishable by up to fourteen years in prison. These factors contribute to ongoing harassment, discrimination, and violence against LGBTQ+ individuals, compounded by religious and heteronormative social norms. Noting the scarcity of rigorous data on the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ people in Kenya, this report presents findings from a study conducted by the African Population and Health Research Center to help fill that evidence gap. Drawing on qualitative and quantitative data collection with LGBTQ+ individuals and the general public, the study documents experiences of stigma, discrimination, and exclusion, contributing to the growing body of evidence on gender and sexual minorities in Kenya to inform policy and programmatic responses.