Africa-Press – Botswana. Botswana’s leading LGBTQIA+ rights group has called on allies, international partners and the global human rights community to step in with emergency support to sustain the movement
The Lesbians, Gays and Bisexuals of Botswana (LEGABIBO) has warned of an existential crisis following a massive funding freeze by the United States government.
In a brief sent to the international community recently, the CEO of LEGABIBO, Nozizwe Ntesang, said the funding halt has slashed the organisation’s income by over 75%, forcing it to scale down critical operations and putting years of hard-work progress at risk.
“The recent funding freeze has placed LEGABIBO and the communities we serve in an unprecedented crisis,” she said.
“The need is urgent. The stakes are high. Without immediate support, Botswana faces a regression that will reverberate far beyond our borders.”
Scrambling
The freeze which is part of a wider pause on international civil society funding by the US government under President Donald Trump, has left advocacy and service delivery organisations across Africa scrambling.
For LEGABIBO, which relies heavily on external funding to promote LGBTQIA+ rights in a country where stigma and discrimination persist, the blow has been devastating.
Ntesang warned that the organisation is now being “forced into heartbreaking decisions” due to the budget cuts.
Among the immediate consequences are suspension of policy advocacy, a key arm of LEGABIBO’s work aimed at improving legal protections for LGBTQIA+ individuals.
Risk of discrimination
“Training and sensitisation programmes have stalled, putting vulnerable communities at greater risk of discrimination, abuse and human rights violations,” Ntesang pointed out.
She noted that community-building initiatives at the grassroots level – crucial for creating safe spaces and amplifying marginalised voices – have largely come to a standstill.
LEGABIBO – which is Botswana’s leading LGBTQIA+ rights group – is now calling on allies, international partners, and the global human rights community to step in with emergency support to sustain the movement.
“We urge the world not to turn a blind eye,” said Ntesang. “We are fighting for our survival. What is at stake is not just an organisation but the safety, dignity and future of an entire community.
A human rights emergency
“This is not just a funding crisis – it is a human rights emergency. Without urgent intervention, Botswana risks sliding backwards, losing decades of progress in the fight for equality, dignity and public health.”
Ntesang warned that rising unemployment, “deteriorating mental health, and increasing HIV infections will strain Botswana’s social and economic fabric at a time when resilience is most needed”.
She emphasised: “Four out of five national Drop-In Centres have shut their doors, cutting off essential healthcare and psychosocial support. Staff layoffs are underway, gutting our operational capacity and devastating our team of dedicated advocates.”
Ntesang said because Drop-In Centres provide stigma-free healthcare, their closure means HIV-positive individuals risk treatment interruptions, increasing both their viral load and the risk of transmission.
Mental health services
It also means HIV prevention programmes are at risk, leaving the community more vulnerable to new infections and that mental health services will vanish, leaving a gaping hole in a fragile landscape where support is already scarce.
She added that unemployment is rising, worsening mental health struggles in a country already battling high joblessness and growing suicide rates.
“HIV infections are likely to rise, reversing crucial progress made in combating the epidemic,” Ntesang noted.
Ntesang said for over two decades LEGABIBO has stood as a beacon of hope and resilience for Botswana’s LGBTQIA+ community.
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