Sexual Minorities in Africa: A Challenge for Social Work

Abstract

This article addresses issues surrounding same-sex relationships in an African context. Many countries on the continent outlaw such partnerships, creating complex dimensions for people trapped in a no-man's-land of socially unacceptable reality. Furthermore, criminalization of same-sex practices results in a lack of targeted health and welfare programs creating a dangerous lacuna in service delivery. To address this, academic programs, field supervisors, and practitioners, particularly in the field of social work, have to be sensitive to the needs of sexual minorities, and those behind whose acceptability they are forced to hide, especially in an alien environment.

KEYWORDS:

• sexual minorities
• Africa
• social work
• practice
• education