Gains, public activism pave way for same-sex in Botswana

Their willingness and resilience to publicly press for reform and respect for LGBT people and their rights in an environment that is often hostile or negative toward LGBT issues is particularly courageous. Having unsuccessfully engaged with government on several issues that affect them, these activists used their visibility and influence to eventually take their battle to the courts to assert their rights.

In a ground breaking unanimous decision, on June 11, 2019, the Botswana High Court became the second Court in Africa, after South Africa, to decriminalise same-sex sexual conduct amongst consenting adults.