CEDEP registers 50 homophobic cases in Malawi since January

The Center for the Development of People (CEDEP) has so far registered 50 homophobic cases since January this year, according to the organization’s Communications Manager Simeon Thodi.

Thodi was reacting to a complaint by some homosexuals who, in an interview with Nyasa Times complained that they are being ill-treated by the general public and are living in fear.

“Some of our friends are being beaten, others having their property burnt and even chased away from their relations and the community. We don’t have security and fail to participate in development activities, a lot of us have even dropped out of school and always staying indoors for fear of what the community has for us,” said one of the homosexuals who refused to be named but stays in  Falls, Lilongwe.

He said its high time, “Malawians accept us because we areb growing in number.”

Another homosexual collaborated that they are even denied access to health service because of their sexual orientation.

“It’s true that our friends are meeting a lot of problems in their communities. On violence we have so far documented 50 cases since January. Two weeks ago one of our peer educators had his house torched. We appeal to the societytomorrow desist from such acts,” said Thodi.

On access to health services, he said CEDEP  has so many projects that aim at facilitating access to health for men who have sex with men and other sexual minorities.

“For example under the linkages project supported by FHi , we provide peer education services, condom and lubricant distribution, HIV testing and treatment and client referral clinics.So far we have managed to test 1298 men who hav sex with men,”he said.