Eswatini Sexual & Gender Minorities

Melusi had been working in LGBT spaces in Eswatini for a while, but he found that the question of LGBT rights was only ever framed through the lens of HIV intervention rather than through a more holistic approach. He founded Eswatini Sexual & Gender Minorities (ESGM) to shift the conversation away from an entirely sexualised framework. Same-sex intimacy remains illegal in the country, making a broader conversation around LGBT acceptance difficult. Eswatini is the first country in Africa to reach 95-95-95 status so that 95% of people living with HIV know their status, are receiving treatment, and have a suppressed viral load. With these achievements in mind, Melusi has been determined to broaden the conversation despite immense systemic challenges, bringing a case before the High Court arguing that the LGBT community have been being denied their right to free association.

The 2019 One Young World Summit introduced Melusi to a huge network. He found it fascinating that One Young World puts young people centre-stage, with young people coming up with ideas and taking on leadership roles. He spoke about the impact of poverty on the LGBT community, which opened a space for dialogue in Eswatini and connected him with global partners. As a membership-based organisation, ESGM focuses on policy, as well as advocacy and mobilisation at a community level.

With over 300 active members, ESGM has organised community visits and sensitivity training, reaching a wider audience through workshops and hybrid training. The conversation around LGBT rights has steadily progressed over the last few years. ESGM has worked on human rights, domestic violence, and with community caregivers on LGBT inclusion. During the pandemic, it also distributed 150 food parcels and 1,000 sanitary towels. Melusi has since stepped back from his role, with a young queer woman becoming executive director of the organisation.

“What I found fascinating about One Young World was that it was the young people in charge of everything and it was the young people coming up with ideas. The final word was young people talking about what needs to change”