Fun Fast Facts:
- The UN Disaster Relief Policy Committee found LGBT community marginalised.
- No national legislation exists to prohibit discrimination.
- Homosexuality accepted in voodoo beliefs.
- Same-sex sexual activity between consenting adults in private legal since 1986.
LGBT organisation:
Since the 2010 earthquake, there has been little physical infrastructure to support LGBT organisations.
W3JOY interviewed: Dr. Dale Dominey-Howes, UN Disaster Relief Policy Committee
People who identified as being LGBT were being excluded from this process [of earthquake recovery].
In a sense, they were affected by a natural disaster, then they were affected by policy disaster that marginalised them further.
There were great examples of resilience. Lesbian and gay people often create new networks, new families…at the same time that these really dreadful things are happening.
The majority of case studies that we have access to would essentially describe that people were going back into the closet.
Aid agencies that were present on the ground found it very difficult to work with and cater for the conditions set by the Haitian government…We do know for example the Red Cross community was specifically and directly approached by the LGBT community for assistance…and unfortunately the Red Cross in Haiti was denied permission to provide additional support.
Published: Tuesday, 21 Aug 2012 1:40 PM
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 32:11 — 29.5MB)