As Senegal's parliament moves to significantly sharpen its legal stance against the LGBTQ+ community, Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, has issued a strong rebuke.
The condemnation comes after lawmakers in the West African nation approved a controversial bill that doubles the maximum prison sentence for same-sex relations, a move Byanyima warns will have serious consequences for public health and human rights.
The new legislation, which passed through the National Assembly of Senegal this week with an overwhelming majority, increases the penalty for what the law describes as "unnatural acts" from a maximum of five years to 10 years of imprisonment.
Introduced by the government of Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, the bill also proposes steep fines and criminalizes the "promotion" or "financing" of homosexuality, provisions that could affect advocacy groups and health organizations.
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Taking to her account on X to voice her opposition, Byanyima said such punitive measures do more than punish individuals.
"Harsher laws to punish people for who they choose to love do not build our communities," she wrote.
"They drive people underground and away from life-saving health services; they deny people safety, dignity and life itself."
As the head of the United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS, Byanyima's concerns are rooted in years of research showing that criminalisation can act as a barrier to medical care.
When individuals fear arrest or harassment, they are less likely to seek HIV testing, treatment or prevention services, often leading to higher transmission rates and preventable deaths.
The bill still requires the signature of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye to become law. However, the atmosphere in Dakar has already grown tense, with recent demonstrations supporting the proposed crackdown.
Byanyima warned that the legal shift could legitimise hostility against sexual minorities.
"Criminalisation does not protect society; it fuels stigma, violence and fear. Our nations are stronger when every person can live openly, safely and with equal dignity under the law," she said.
If enacted, Senegal would join a growing list of African countries seeking to strengthen laws against same-sex relations, including Uganda and Ghana.
Human rights advocates have urged President Faye to reject the bill, echoing Byanyima's call for policies that prioritise equality, dignity and access to health services for all.
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