Same Sex People Also Have Rights

By Mohamed K Jalloh

Freelance Journalist
Many people with different sexual orientation are discriminated against by society as if they don’t have rights, and are often targeted by people for practicing how they feel. Little consideration is given as to their rights.
The country’s constitution guarantees everyone the right to practice their sexuality, but this has been mistaken to mean people of the opposite sex. The essence of society is the desire of people with diverse orientation, beliefs and gender to come together as one people living amicably and practicing their respective beliefs unhindered. It is out of this desire that constitutions were born, with the view to protect their respective interests. Hence the formation of government to protect their respective rights. It is against this background that political and social scholars have stated that a social contract exist between the people and the government, hence the definition of Democracy being Government of the people, by the people and for the people.
Unfortunately, in Sierra Leone the rights of some segment of society are not protected, but are trampled on with impunity. The rights of Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgender (LGBT) people are not recognized, as if they are not part of the society. These are discriminated against and become targets of attack. These people, like any other Sierra Leonean, have rights and should be allowed to enjoy their rights to the fullest without himderance. It is their constitutional right.
Fortunately, the government of Sierra Leone is signatory to many international treaties protecting the rights of these vulnerable groups. It is therefore an obligation on the government to protect the rights of these groups and to domesticate these treaties with the legal framework that will guarantee the protection of the rights of these groups.
Various groups of vulnerable people are advocating for the protection of their rights as enshrined in the country’s constitution and other international treaties and conversations signed by the government of Sierra Leone. Among these, are people with special needs and LGBT people. A lot of victimization, unlawful targeting by society have resulted in intimidation and stigmatization, and in the case of the latter, pushed them to go underground. This is in complete violation of their fundamental human rights, internally recognized and to which the government is signatory to.