The inaugural Southern Africa Parents, Families and Allies Network (SAPFAN) Regional Forum was held in Johannesburg on 23 and 24 September, bringing together parents, families, and allies from across Southern Africa. The two-day event aimed to strengthen regional family advocacy and build a shared response to the stigma, discrimination, and exclusion experienced by LGBTIQ+ people and their families. The forum was hosted by Parents, Families and Friends of South African Queers (PFSAQ).
According to SAPFAN Regional Coordinator Bonginkosi Mthembu, participants hailed from countries including Angola, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Namibia, and South Africa. The gathering followed country-level consultations with parents about how they wanted the regional movement to develop. Mthembu explained that the forum aimed to bring everyone together to create a shared vision for the movement going forward.
For many parents attending, the forum was about more than learning terminology or understanding sexual orientation and gender identity. It was about confronting their own experiences and becoming stronger advocates for their children. Busi Hlongwane, from Eswatini and a member of Parents Unite and Care for All Children (PUCAC), said the gathering left her feeling empowered to continue supporting her queer child, who has experienced discrimination.
The forum also shared powerful stories of acceptance, rejection, faith, and parents' love for their queer children. A mother from Malawi spoke about initially rejecting her child because they were queer, but through information sessions with PFSAQ, she began learning more about sexuality and her child's experiences. A mother from Namibia shared a different experience, having grown up with a queer brother and witnessing her own mother's love and acceptance of him.
The gathering also examined the broader environment in which LGBTIQ+ people and their families are advocating for their rights. Thuli Mjwara, Strategic Advocacy and Process Coordinator at Inclusive and Affirming Ministries (IAM), spoke about the anti-rights and anti-gender movements in Africa, including their evolving actors, tactics, and networks. Participants explored how these movements operate across multiple spaces.
One focus of the discussion was misinformation and the need for activists and allies to confirm the accuracy of information before sharing it. Mjwara emphasized the importance of fact-checking and disputing myths. The discussion also highlighted the importance of cross-border solidarity, particularly as organizations advocating for LGBTIQ+ rights increasingly work across national boundaries.
For Mthembu, the forum represented an important step towards creating a stronger regional parent movement. He said SAPFAN wants to see the network expand across Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries and engage with regional governing bodies, with the ultimate goal of encouraging parents to provide love and support to their queer children. The gathering demonstrated that family advocacy is not only about helping parents understand their queer children but also about giving parents the tools, confidence, and collective power to challenge discrimination.
Key points
- Parents and allies from across Southern Africa gathered in Johannesburg for the inaugural SAPFAN Regional Forum to strengthen regional family advocacy.
- The forum shared powerful stories of acceptance, rejection, faith, and parents' love for their queer children.
- The gathering examined the broader environment in which LGBTIQ+ people and their families are advocating for their rights.
