Social Inclusion & Diversity
ArtGlo views equal treatment for all—regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender, disability, or sexual identity—as a fundamental part of healthy and open societies. Our Inclusion and Diversity work directly confronts and challenges all forms of hate and discrimination against key populations. Specifically, we will work in the following key areas, building off from the incredible work we have done over the last 6 years through the Umunthu Healthcare Workers Project.
Our Social inclusion and diversity programme works directly with community influencers, policymakers, and public service providers to unearth and challenge all forms of discrimination against minority populations. The programme utilizes Umunthu, the pan-African philosophical concept of humanity to solicit empathy and bring awareness of our oneness as people. Utilising Umunthu, the pan-African philosophical concept of humanity to solicit empathy and bring awareness of our oneness as people and artistic participatory methodologies as a catalyst for reflection and discussion, we:
- Address public service provision discrepancies, especially in health, justice, and social sectors;
- Advance social inclusion and equality for all from a human rights perspective;
- Exert efforts in local, national, and regional agenda-setting against discrimination, social exclusion, and marginalization of minority groups; and
- Advocate for the repeal of archaic, oppressive, and discriminatory laws that work against the fundamental principles of human rights.
Our initiatives
Changing Hearts and Minds
This project intends to change the hearts and minds of religious leaders, judicial officers and the media, through creative participatory workshops, culminating into the formulation of action plans to be co-implemented together with the project staff. It further creates a space for dialogue, to address misinformation, disinformation and lack of information in regard to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC). The project attempts to tackle areas of concern that have come about due to the constitutional case that has exposed the knowledge gap with regards to SOGIESC, the law and public attitudes, beliefs and perceptions. Opponents of sustenance of section 153 have taken advantage of this gap by intensifying misinformation through traditional media outlets to incite public anger and pressure towards the court not to determine the penal code section as unconstitutional.
The project conducted an impact assessment of the cases on LGBTQ+, namely the NRA registration case and the constitutional case to determine the legality of section 153 of the penal code. The findings informed the design and formulation of the training curriculum of the subsequent workshops with the LGBTQ+ community, the media and Human Rights Activists. Legal Empowerment workshops were conducted with the LGBTQ+ people to enhance their legal literacy, human rights and their right to participation. We engaged the Media Council of Malawi and all main Editors in the main media houses in Malawi to address under-reporting, misreporting and publishing of misinformation, disinformation by the traditional media houses. We further engaged Human Rights and LGBTQ+ Activists to discuss how best they could synergize their efforts in fostering human rights for all.
Umunthu Inclusive Society Project
This 2-year project seeks to build strong and resilient networks through movement-building initiatives that will be responsive and able to take up action against human rights violations perpetrated against LGBTI people. Grassroots LGBTI organizations and other like-minded grassroots organizations are being trained to strengthen their capacity in responding to human rights violations, through the understanding of the legal environment and justice system. They will also build capacity in how to leverage the developing movement to better support their members, and link effectively with Justice Sector Actors and trained players who have committed to play their role to achieve an inclusive social climate for discriminated persons, especially LGBTI people. These activities are being complimented by family workshops aiming to build an immediate support network of LGBTI people.
The project will also seek to raise awareness of the situation of LGBTI people in Malawi by engaging key stakeholders through advocacy art pieces that will be produced by LGBTI people themselves. This will help show the common humanity of LGBTI people (including humanizing strategic cases), leading to an exhibition for decision-makers to go hand in hand with SALC’s legal advocacy work. The project is being implemented in Phalombe, Chikwawa, Dedza & and Mchinji.
Reach
The Umunthu Inclusive Society's Project has so far reached:
Umunthu Health Care Workers Project Phase 1
The Umunthu Project was a 6 years project, executed by ArtGlo reaching out to 11 districts in Malawi, Zomba, Chikwawa, Dedza, Nkhotakota, Mchinji, Phalombe, Blantyre, Nsanje, Lilongwe, Thyolo and Mulanje. It was a comprehensive, two-phase initiative aimed at improving healthcare service delivery and accessibility for LGBTI individuals in Malawi. The project's primary approach was to foster understanding and empathy towards LGBTI individuals within healthcare systems and the broader community, thereby promoting inclusive health service delivery. The workshops fostered a deep understanding and appreciation of the unique healthcare needs of the LGBTI community.
Umunthu Health Care Workers Project Phase 2
Phase 2 introduced new, innovative activities to address the identified needs and further bolster the project's impact. This phase involved the creation of stronger linkages between LGBTI health-seekers and trained health workers, the enlistment of traditional and religious leaders to promote LGBTI-friendly health services, and the recruitment of healthcare worker workshop alumni to advocate for improved health access. This phase also extended the workshop program to engage more community members, implemented a tracking system for the Umunthu methodology, and worked towards embedding workshop activities within civil society, educational institutions, and government curricula and training.
