Haba na Haba Hujaza Kibaba

Abstract This chapter gives an overview of SOGIESC legal advocacy and mobilization in Africa over the last three decades, during which queer legal protections have emerged. This is undertaken by exploring the contestations around SOGIESC in Africa, particularly the advancements made via litigation and legal reform at both national and regional levels. It discusses the social and political underpinnings of the development of legal provisions, including the criminalization of same-sex relations, and provides on-the-ground critical reflections from legal activists on the complex considerations that inform queer lawfare. The chapter avers that ‘progress’ and what this means, for law, society, and sexual and gender minorities is nuanced, multi-layered, and contextual. In reckoning with patterns of coloniality in the narratives of queer Africa, this chapter tells a story that holistically depicts the legal realities regarding SOGIESC on the continent, contextualizes law and society, and centres the insights and critical reflections of African lawyer-activists.