Ivory Coast, Africa

Côte d'Ivoire is a republic with a strong executive power personified in the President. Its official capital is Yamoussoukro and the official language is French. Côte d'Ivoire's economy is largely market-based and relies heavily on agriculture, with smallholder cash crop production being dominant. Homosexuality is not forbidden in by law in Côte d'Ivoire, same sex sexual contact is not mentioned in law and no sodomy laws exist. There is no legal protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation. The government of Côte d'Ivoire does not recognize same-sex marriages.

 

 

LGBTQIA+ LIFE CHALLENGES IN Ivory Coast

Legal ChallengesSame-gender sexual activities for both men and women are legal in private and have never been criminalized in Ivory Coast. However, public same-gender sexual acts will be punished with imprisonment for 3 months to 2 years and a fine of 50,000 to 500,000 francs (75–450€). Same-gender couples are not legally recognized and are not… Read more »

Two Gay Men in Ivory Coast Still Seek Explanation for their Imprisonment

Two Ivorian men who were arrested in October and released from prison this week remain unclear as to their offense. While it is presumed that a public indecency law was used to inculpate both openly gay men, they deny any improper behavior or even sexual involvement with each other. Ivory Coast does not outlaw same-sex… Read more »

Two men jailed after uncle walks in on them having sex

Two gay men were arrested and jailed after being caught having sex. The men received 18 month sentences, despite living in a country where same-sex activities are not illegal. The men live in Ivory Coast, which does not criminalise homosexuality. No law prohibits discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation, gender identity, or intersex status… Read more »

Introducing Miss Woubi, Ivory Coast’s unlikely cross-dressing pageant

With a gay scene unrivalled by other west African countries, Abidjan plays host to an empowering celebration of gender fluidity On a warm Saturday night, an events space usually reserved for weddings and baptisms was overtaken by men in flowing gowns and rainbow hair extensions as Ivory Coast’s gay community celebrated the most raucous night… Read more »

Anti-gay mobs loot offices of LGBTI rights group in Ivory Coast

The offices of LGBTI rights group Alternative Cote d’Ivoire were ransacked by around 200 homophobic thugs on Saturday – smashing windows and stealing computers The most prominent LGBTI rights group in the West African nation of Ivory Coast has had its offices looted, with rocks and garbage hurled into the building and computers and other… Read more »

Prominent Abidjan Gay Bar Shuts Its Doors

Abidjan, Ivory Coast — On a recent Saturday night, a group of young men mingled outside what looked like an ordinary warehouse in Abidjan’s southern industrial zone. Inside, a DJ improvised a set list made up mostly of club tracks, including Rihanna and Chris Brown from America, and Chidinma and Iyanya from Nigeria. The crowd… Read more »

Transgender Sex Workers Face Abuse In Ivory Coast

Abidjan Ivory Coast — It seemed like a case of simple blackmail. Late one night last month, two cars carrying around 10 soldiers pulled up to a group of prostitutes in Abidjan’s Vallon neighborhood and began demanding bribes. To save themselves, some of the women in the group approached the soldiers and told them what… Read more »

Ivory Coast: Anti-gay Stigma Hinders Bid to Lower Côte d’Ivoire’s HIV Rate

Abidjan (IPS) – When Emmanuel Kokou, a 28-year-old sex worker, moved from his native Togo to Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire in 2010, he knew there was a good chance that he had previously been exposed to HIV. But he had no intention of getting tested. “I had done a lot of silly things,” said Kokou, whose… Read more »

Gay Ivory Coast News & Reports

Useful Website for LGBT Africa 1 Shadows and Eye-Shadow 9/98 2 Ivorian gay community fights for right to life and love 9/06 3 United Nations Human Right Council 13th Session 3/10 4 Jimmy Leon Interviews Carlos 12/10 5 Ivory Coast president refuses to ‘abdicate’ 12/10 (non gay background story) Website for LGBT organization ‘Arc en… Read more »