Claiming SOGIESC rights through the African human rights system : Analysis of normative, institutional and procedural frameworks based on the example of sexual orientation

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Zundel, Isabelle:
Claiming SOGIESC rights through the African human rights system : Analysis of normative, institutional and procedural frameworks based on the example of sexual orientation.
Bayreuth , 2025 . - XVIII, 300 S.
( Dissertation, 2024 , Universität Bayreuth, Rechts- und Wirtschaftswissenschaftliche Fakultät)

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Abstract

Rights related to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex charac-teristics (SOGIESC) constitute one of the most controversial categories of human rights worldwide. In Africa, the discussion is even more fraught due to predominantly hostile societies in which people suffer, among other things, from discrimination, hate crimes, and marginalisation perpetrated by individuals and institutions. This thesis investigates the question of whether the African human rights system (AHRS) is fit to effectively promote and protect SOGIESC rights on the African continent. It does this by an analysis of aspects of the normative, institutional and procedural frameworks through the lens of the concept of claiming, using the example of sexual orientation. The analysis of the frameworks led to the conclusion that over the past decades, the AHRS has developed into a compact framework for the promotion and protection of human rights on the continent. However, to date, the legal and procedural mechanisms offered by the regional framework for promoting and protecting SOGIESC rights are insufficient. Despite a growing body of soft law mechanisms including or even focusing on SOGIESC rights, the current structures have no consistent focus on or a specific framework for SOGIESC rights. The initial hypotheses were driven by the claim that despite certain shortcomings in the regional framework, the AHRS is still the right place for SOGIESC advocacy. The find-ings show that the normative framework is characterised, among other things, by its flex-ibility and context-specificity, given the incorporation of specific African societal notions into the African Charter. The institutions of the AHRS face severe challenges in terms of their effectiveness with regard to claiming, which, however, can be traced back to features that are common to all IHRL institutions. While the normative framework of the AHRS has incorporated a number of particularities to account for societal, historical, economic and political contexts, such customization is currently lacking in the institutional frame-work, which limits its effectiveness for claiming significantly. The mechanisms available in the procedural framework are well designed. However, the findings show that its ef-fectiveness for claiming largely depends on the commitment and practices of individuals, which is a limiting factor. Further, despite some promising opportunities, the (quasi-) judicial mechanisms are not designed to address the local realities of systemic and wide-spread human rights violations on the African continent. In essence, the analysis shows that the AHRS has several severe shortcomings, but that it also has important features of the AHRS that are effective. These effective aspects of the framework show where and how to claim SOGIESC rights.

Abstract in weiterer Sprache

LSBTIQ* Rechte gehören weltweit zu den umstrittensten Menschenrechtskategorien. In Afrika ist die Diskussion besonders herausfordernd, da LSBTIQ* Personen dort stark unter Diskriminierung und Hassverbrechen leiden. Mein Dissertationsprojekt untersucht, inwieweit das afrikanische Menschenrechtssystem in der Lage ist, diese Rechte wirksam zu schützen, indem es den normativen, institutionellen und prozessualen Rahmen durch das Konzept Claiming analysiert. Die Analyse zeigt, dass das System über die Jahrzehnte zu einem wichtigen Instrument für den regionalen Menschenrechtsschutz wurde. Der normative Rahmen weist vielversprechende Merkmale auf. Die Institutionen und ihre prozessualen Möglichkeiten stehen jedoch vor Herausforderungen, die eine effektive Bekämpfung der systemischen Menschenrechtsverletzungen verhindern. Insgesamt weist das System, trotz seiner Mängel, wirksame Elemente auf, die die Weiterentwicklung des Systems und somit das Einfordern von LSBTIQ* Rechte ermöglichen können.