Outsources: Clare Byarugaba

Ms. Byarugaba received international attention for her efforts fighting the anti-homosexuality legislation in Uganda while working for the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law. She and other Coalition members were awarded the 2011 US State Department Human Rights Defenders Award. The legislation was signed into law in February 2014 and was struck down by the Ugandan Constitutional Court later the same year.

“It was a big win to get the anti-homosexuality bill repealed in 2014, but advocates for the law still want homosexuality criminalized, parents are still disowning their children for being gay or lesbian, and discrimination still exists across the country”, said Byarugaba. “I am excited to work with GLI to connect with hundreds of individuals in Colorado to have substantive conversations about human rights and equality.” Ms. Byarugaba currently works as the Lead Coordinator for the Equality and Non-Discrimination Programme at Chapter Four Uganda, a non-profit organization focused on the protection of the civil liberties and human rights. She is also the convener of PFLAG-Uganda, a support group that provides a safe space for LGBT children and their parents to foster dialogue.

About Clare Byarugaba:

For more information you can find her on Facebook @ Clare Byarugaba or through ChapterFourUganda.com.  You can watch the film, “God Loves Uganda” for background.

Clare Byarugaba is a human rights & LGBT activist and feminist based in Uganda. She completed her bachelor’s degree in international business from Makerere University Business School. Driven by her passion to work for the realization of the human rights and freedom for the LGBT community, she became a visible and forefront leader of the movement, speaking out for the voiceless.

Clare has worked at the National Democratic Institute, the Parliament of Uganda and has been finance officer and Women’s Coordinator for Ice Breakers Uganda.

She worked as the coordinator of the Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law, a Coalition that successfully used its collective power to fight the notorious anti-homosexuality bill. Clare and the Coalition received the 2011 U.S State Department Human Rights defenders award for their outstanding work in Uganda. Additionally, Clare is advisor to the World Bank on LGBT issues for East Africa and was a lecturer at Colby College where she led a seminar class on Human Rights in a global perspective. Clare is also a co-founder for the Ugandan Gay Pride of 2012.

Clare currently works at Chapter Four Uganda as the lead Coordinator of the Equality and Non-Discrimination Programme. Despite the immense risk that comes with being an LGBT activist in Uganda, Clare continues to work tirelessly towards fighting the social and institutional injustices faced by the LGBT community in Uganda.

Read More:

• http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-uganda-homosexuality-idUKBRE8AC0VC20121113
• http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-20318436
• http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/15/at-women-in-the-world-the-reality-of-uganda-s-brutal-gay-ban.html

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