By Svetlana Marshall
As part of ongoing efforts to have the rights of LGBTQIA+ persons recognized in Guyana, SASOD Guyana today launched its 2025 Manifesto ahead of the September 1 Elections, with the hopes of having the next Parliament eliminate all discriminatory laws against members of the LGBT community.
The manifesto, which builds on the success of the country’s first LGBTQIA+ Manifesto in 2020, includes 10 priority issues that SASOD hopes political parties contesting the upcoming elections would incorporate in their own manifesto and deliver on, once elected.
At today’s launch at the Herdmanston Lodge, SASOD’s Managing Director, Joel Simpson said the manifesto is being launched at a time when there are increasing calls for the rights of LGBTQIA people to be recognized and respected.
“LGBTQIA people and our allies are voting this year because we understand what is at stake in the 2025 General and Regional Elections. A strong majority of Guyanese people believe it is time for LGBTQIA people to be treated with respect from the Guyanese law. And when we go to the ballot box on September 1st we will be voting with our values,” Simpson said.
He said 54% of Guyanese want the outdated laws criminalizing intimacy between men to be repealed, while 72.4% believe that workplace protections should apply to LGBTQIA+ workers as well.
SASOD wants sections 351 to 353 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, which criminalizes same-sex intimacy between consenting, adult men in private to be repealed no later than 2026.
“We want the elected officials to repeal sections 351 to 353 of the Criminal Law (Offences) Act, which criminalize same-sex intimacy between consenting, adult men in private and we want that done by the end of 2026. Secondly, we want sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics to be included as categories of protection within the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997 by the end of 2027, which is Guyana’s only and very limited anti-discrimination law – it only deals with the right to work,” Simpson detailed.
By the end of 2028, SASOD wants comprehensive legislation to be in place to eradicate all forms of discrimination, whether direct or indirect, in every sector, including discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.
He submitted that laws criminalizing same-sex intimacy violate constitutionally protected rights.
Another priority area addresses the issue of training.
SASOD wants the next Government to implement mandatory training on Justice Equity Diversity and Inclusion for the uniformed services, social workers, healthcare workers and other state providers to eliminate discriminatory attitudes and unconscious bias in the provision of state services.
Further, it is pushing for inclusion in education.
“Develop and implement a clear policy to end all forms of violence and discrimination, especially bullying based on sexuality and gender, in the school system by the end of 2026. As far as we are aware, there is no clear education policy…Our seventh priority area is to train education officials, school administrators, teachers and social workers in schools as part of a comprehensive, anti-bullying programme that is inclusive of LGBTQIA+ issues,” Simpson said.
He said for LGBTQIA+ students, schools could play a positive role in promoting adolescent health by eliminating bullying, discrimination and forms of abuse targeting them.
The other priority areas address the need for economic opportunities, and the provision of quality health services for all in addition to equitable access to social services, including access to safe and secure housing.
In the coming days, SASOD is expected to put forward its manifesto to candidates contesting the 2025 Elections at a town hall meeting with the hope of securing buy-in.
Simpson said come September 1, members of the LGBTQIA+ community and their allies should cast their ballots in favour of candidates who match their values.
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