The African Commission on Human and People's Rights denied observer status to the Coalition of African lesbians. Their reason as set out in the report to the AU is that the organisation does not seek to protect rights guaranteed under the charter.

This is not true. CAL works to protect the human rights of human beings. The charter confers the rights to all human beings.

A special issue of Pambazuka News focusing on the implications of the decision on people who are vulnerable to human rights violations of human rights because of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity will be published shortly.

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