Ally Organizations in the Middle East
Listed below are a few ally organizations that aim to help and support LGBT people in the Middle East. Other organizations with the same goal exist as well, however these are the organizations that have made the most impact in the regions thus far.
Rainbow street
Link: https://www.rainbow-street.org/
Rainbow street is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that is determined to help LGBT people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in any way they need. This includes, but is not limited to:
- “working with local health providers to promote mental and physical health of local LGBT community members
- to provide regular cash stipends to exceptionally vulnerable LGBT people to alleviate the challenges of homelessness, food insecurity, and other barriers to dignity and self-determination” [1]
Outright is a NGO that promotes human rights of LGBTIQ people around the world, including in the Middle East. The organization focuses more on Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, but also partners with other groups in the region in order to listen to local LGBTIQ activists, and advocate on their behalf at the United Nations. [2]
Helem ( Arabic: حلم) is a NGO based in Lebanon that has the main goal of annulling article 534 in Lebanon’s Penal Code which punishes “unnatural sexual intercourse”, most commonly used to target people that do not conform to society’s gender binary system. Helem’s other goals include making the Lebanese society more aware about the AIDS epidemic and other sexually transmitted diseases in the country, and advocating for the rights of Lebanese LGBT individuals. Helem also allows allies to access membership to the organization. [3]
This section is by no means exhaustive, and does not cover ever particular law pertaining to LGBT rights. This is partly due to the non-existence of these laws in some Middle Eastern States, and also due to the laws being available in Arabic.
A large majority of the data in the following table originates from research study conducted by the Human Rights Watch, in which the laws regarding LGBT rights in the Middle East are referenced.
| Country | Laws regarding same-sex behavior | Laws regarding being transgender/non-binary |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Felony under article 333 of the penal code - facing imprisonment of two months to two years and a fine of 500 to 2,000 Algerian dinars (US$4-18). When such act involves “an act against nature with an individual of the same sex,” the penalty is imprisonment for six months to three years and a fine of 1,000 to 10,000 Algerian dinars (US$9-90) | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Bahrain | Felony - under Article 347 "anyone who assaults a person who is more than fourteen years but less than twenty-one years, with his consent" will be punished with a prison sentence of unspecified length.
The government of Bahrain has also charged citizens for acts against "indecency" and "immorality", according to the Human Rights Watch. |
Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Egypt | Felony - Article 9 of the Law 10/1961 on the Combating of Prostitution punishes anyone who “habitually engages in debauchery or prostitution,” or who offers, owns, or manages establishments for the purpose of such activities, with up to three years in prison and a fine up to 300 Egyptian pounds (US$ 17). | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Iraq | Iraq does not criminalize consensual adult homosexual intercourse. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Israel | The law protects LGBT individuals; any violent crime motivated by sexual orientation is considered a hate crime. [2] | The law protects LGBT individuals; any violent crime motivated by sexual orientation is considered a hate crime. [2] |
| Jordan | Jordan does not criminalize consensual adult homosexual intercourse. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Kuwait | Felony - Men can be sentenced to up to seven years of imprisonment under Article 193 of Kuwait's Penal Code for same-sex relations. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Lebanon | Felony - "any sexual intercourse contrary to the order of nature" is punishable with up to a year in prison. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Oman | Felony - Any sexual act occurring between people of the same sex is punishable with imprisonment, varying from six months to three years, under Article 262 of Oman's latest penal code (promulgated in January 2018). | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Palestine | Gaza and the West Bank are governed by different penal Codes. Gaza follows the British Mandate Criminal Code Ordinance (promulgated in 1936), which punishes any "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" with a prison sentence of up to ten years. The West Bank on the other hand follows the Jordanian Penal Code of 1951, which, as previously stated, does not incriminate same-sex sexual acts. | Both Gaza and the West Bank do not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Qatar | Felony - inducing or seducing a male or a female anyhow to commit illegal or immoral actions” is punishable by up to three years. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia has no written laws concerning sexual orientation or gender identity | |
| Syria | Felony - Article 520 of Syria's Penal Code criminalizes "unnatural sexual intercourse", and Article 517 punishes any crime "against public decency" occurring in public with a prison sentence varying from three months to three years. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| United Arab Emirates (UAE) | The UAE's penal code does not specifically criminalize homosexual intercourse. However, Abu Dhabi's penal code incriminates unnatural sex acts with up to 14 years in prison. Also, Article 356 of the UAE's penal code punishes all sexual acts outside of heterosexual marriage with at least one year of imprisonment. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
Due to the illegality and stigma around people who identify as LGBT, there is a dearth in the quantity of credible data collected regarding violence and discrimination that LGBT individuals face on a daily basis. However, a report written by Outright International submitted to UNHRC regarding violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Iraq has fount that despite LGBT rights being protected by the law, there exists no feasible legal recourse for victims of such hate crimes. [3]
Due to a rise in Islamic conservatism in the late 20th century in the region, any non-conforming sexual behavior is condescended, and incriminating in most countries, as previously stated. It is popularly believed that this opinion is shared only by government officials and religious men. However, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2018 disproved this when it was found that over 80% of people polled rejected homosexuality as "morally unacceptable". [4] This is the only study conducted regarding the Middle Eastern public's opinion regarding anything related to LGBT behavior/ activities. In order to fully understand this, more data needs to be collected on the matter.
 | This is a user sandbox of
HanaIverson. You can use it for testing or practicing edits. This is not the sandbox where you should draft your assigned article for a dashboard.wikiedu.org course. To find the right sandbox for your assignment, visit your Dashboard course page and follow the Sandbox Draft link for your assigned article in the My Articles section. |
-
^ Avenue, Human Rights Watch | 350 Fifth; York, 34th Floor | New; t 1.212.290.4700, NY 10118-3299 USA | (2018-04-16).
"Audacity in Adversity | LGBT Activism in the Middle East and North Africa". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link) - ^
a
b
"Gay Israel". mfa.gov.il. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status ( link) -
^ Outright International (2019-03-29).
"Violence and Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Iraq". Global LGBT Human Rights. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status ( link) - ^ El Feki, Shereen (2015). "The Arab Bed Spring? Sexual rights in troubled times across the Middle East and North Africa". Reproductive Health Matters. 23 (46): 38–44. ISSN 0968-8080.
Ally Organizations in the Middle East
Listed below are a few ally organizations that aim to help and support LGBT people in the Middle East. Other organizations with the same goal exist as well, however these are the organizations that have made the most impact in the regions thus far.
Rainbow street
Link: https://www.rainbow-street.org/
Rainbow street is a non-governmental organization (NGO) that is determined to help LGBT people in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region in any way they need. This includes, but is not limited to:
- “working with local health providers to promote mental and physical health of local LGBT community members
- to provide regular cash stipends to exceptionally vulnerable LGBT people to alleviate the challenges of homelessness, food insecurity, and other barriers to dignity and self-determination” [1]
Outright is a NGO that promotes human rights of LGBTIQ people around the world, including in the Middle East. The organization focuses more on Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, but also partners with other groups in the region in order to listen to local LGBTIQ activists, and advocate on their behalf at the United Nations. [2]
Helem ( Arabic: حلم) is a NGO based in Lebanon that has the main goal of annulling article 534 in Lebanon’s Penal Code which punishes “unnatural sexual intercourse”, most commonly used to target people that do not conform to society’s gender binary system. Helem’s other goals include making the Lebanese society more aware about the AIDS epidemic and other sexually transmitted diseases in the country, and advocating for the rights of Lebanese LGBT individuals. Helem also allows allies to access membership to the organization. [3]
This section is by no means exhaustive, and does not cover ever particular law pertaining to LGBT rights. This is partly due to the non-existence of these laws in some Middle Eastern States, and also due to the laws being available in Arabic.
A large majority of the data in the following table originates from research study conducted by the Human Rights Watch, in which the laws regarding LGBT rights in the Middle East are referenced.
| Country | Laws regarding same-sex behavior | Laws regarding being transgender/non-binary |
|---|---|---|
| Algeria | Felony under article 333 of the penal code - facing imprisonment of two months to two years and a fine of 500 to 2,000 Algerian dinars (US$4-18). When such act involves “an act against nature with an individual of the same sex,” the penalty is imprisonment for six months to three years and a fine of 1,000 to 10,000 Algerian dinars (US$9-90) | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Bahrain | Felony - under Article 347 "anyone who assaults a person who is more than fourteen years but less than twenty-one years, with his consent" will be punished with a prison sentence of unspecified length.
The government of Bahrain has also charged citizens for acts against "indecency" and "immorality", according to the Human Rights Watch. |
Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Egypt | Felony - Article 9 of the Law 10/1961 on the Combating of Prostitution punishes anyone who “habitually engages in debauchery or prostitution,” or who offers, owns, or manages establishments for the purpose of such activities, with up to three years in prison and a fine up to 300 Egyptian pounds (US$ 17). | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Iraq | Iraq does not criminalize consensual adult homosexual intercourse. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Israel | The law protects LGBT individuals; any violent crime motivated by sexual orientation is considered a hate crime. [2] | The law protects LGBT individuals; any violent crime motivated by sexual orientation is considered a hate crime. [2] |
| Jordan | Jordan does not criminalize consensual adult homosexual intercourse. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Kuwait | Felony - Men can be sentenced to up to seven years of imprisonment under Article 193 of Kuwait's Penal Code for same-sex relations. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Lebanon | Felony - "any sexual intercourse contrary to the order of nature" is punishable with up to a year in prison. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Oman | Felony - Any sexual act occurring between people of the same sex is punishable with imprisonment, varying from six months to three years, under Article 262 of Oman's latest penal code (promulgated in January 2018). | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Palestine | Gaza and the West Bank are governed by different penal Codes. Gaza follows the British Mandate Criminal Code Ordinance (promulgated in 1936), which punishes any "carnal knowledge against the order of nature" with a prison sentence of up to ten years. The West Bank on the other hand follows the Jordanian Penal Code of 1951, which, as previously stated, does not incriminate same-sex sexual acts. | Both Gaza and the West Bank do not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Qatar | Felony - inducing or seducing a male or a female anyhow to commit illegal or immoral actions” is punishable by up to three years. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| Saudi Arabia | Saudi Arabia has no written laws concerning sexual orientation or gender identity | |
| Syria | Felony - Article 520 of Syria's Penal Code criminalizes "unnatural sexual intercourse", and Article 517 punishes any crime "against public decency" occurring in public with a prison sentence varying from three months to three years. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
| United Arab Emirates (UAE) | The UAE's penal code does not specifically criminalize homosexual intercourse. However, Abu Dhabi's penal code incriminates unnatural sex acts with up to 14 years in prison. Also, Article 356 of the UAE's penal code punishes all sexual acts outside of heterosexual marriage with at least one year of imprisonment. | Does not acknowledge any gender identity other than female and male. |
Due to the illegality and stigma around people who identify as LGBT, there is a dearth in the quantity of credible data collected regarding violence and discrimination that LGBT individuals face on a daily basis. However, a report written by Outright International submitted to UNHRC regarding violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in Iraq has fount that despite LGBT rights being protected by the law, there exists no feasible legal recourse for victims of such hate crimes. [3]
Due to a rise in Islamic conservatism in the late 20th century in the region, any non-conforming sexual behavior is condescended, and incriminating in most countries, as previously stated. It is popularly believed that this opinion is shared only by government officials and religious men. However, a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2018 disproved this when it was found that over 80% of people polled rejected homosexuality as "morally unacceptable". [4] This is the only study conducted regarding the Middle Eastern public's opinion regarding anything related to LGBT behavior/ activities. In order to fully understand this, more data needs to be collected on the matter.
| This is a user sandbox of
HanaIverson. You can use it for testing or practicing edits. This is not the sandbox where you should draft your assigned article for a dashboard.wikiedu.org course. To find the right sandbox for your assignment, visit your Dashboard course page and follow the Sandbox Draft link for your assigned article in the My Articles section. |
-
^ Avenue, Human Rights Watch | 350 Fifth; York, 34th Floor | New; t 1.212.290.4700, NY 10118-3299 USA | (2018-04-16).
"Audacity in Adversity | LGBT Activism in the Middle East and North Africa". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ( link) - ^
a
b
"Gay Israel". mfa.gov.il. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status ( link) -
^ Outright International (2019-03-29).
"Violence and Discrimination based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity in Iraq". Global LGBT Human Rights. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
{{ cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status ( link) - ^ El Feki, Shereen (2015). "The Arab Bed Spring? Sexual rights in troubled times across the Middle East and North Africa". Reproductive Health Matters. 23 (46): 38–44. ISSN 0968-8080.