Intersectionality of Oppression: Examining Human Rights Violations Against LGBTQI+ Individuals and Inmates in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

Introduction: LGBTQI+ individuals and incarcerated populations in Zimbabwe face compounded oppression shaped by intersecting socio-political, legal, and economic inequalities, with the Criminal Law Act (2006) criminalising same-sex relationships (up to 14 years imprisonment) and enabling state-sanctioned persecution like police raids on organisations such as GALZ. Political rhetoric from leaders like Robert Mugabe labelling LGBTQI+ identities "un-African" fuels societal hostility, violence, blackmail, familial disownment, economic exclusion, poverty, and HIV disparities; for example, only 48% of men who have sex with men know their status despite national 95-95-95 targets, while transgender and incarcerated individuals endure heightened healthcare barriers, targeted violence, and neglect.

Methods: Qualitative data, including reports from 2012–2017 showing that 19% of LGBTQI+ rights violations involved police harassment (arbitrary detention, extortion), alongside an analysis of state healthcare systems (heteronormative assumptions), community initiatives like GALZ’s Colour Girls Clinic, and regional comparisons, reveal how police, judicial systems, and intersectional stigma (anti-LGBTQI+ and HIV-related) perpetuate harm.

Results: State healthcare neglects LGBTQI + populations amid pervasive stigma, forcing identity concealment; incarcerated LGBTQI+ individuals face violence and bias without protections; HIV treatment adherence suffers from dual stigma; community-led support, such as GALZ, struggles with funding; and economic exclusion exceeds regional norms, limiting education, housing, and employment.

Conclusion: Advocates prioritise decriminalisation, anti-discrimination laws, law enforcement training, and policy reforms to ensure equitable access to healthcare, legal protections, and services, addressing Zimbabwe’s stricter exclusion compared to its neighbours.