
Sexual Minorities Uganda
The 2011 Rafto Prize was awarded to Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG). Frank Mugisha (1979), Executive Director of SMUG, received the award on behalf of the organisation. SMUG received the Rafto Prize for its struggle to make fundamental human rights apply to everyone, and to eliminate discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
SMUG is a coalition of organisations that work for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people (LGBTI people, or sexual minorities, which is the term used by SMUG). Since its inception in 2004, SMUG has become a powerful voice for a stigmatised and persecuted minority. The coalition has played an important role in opposing the proposed "Anti-Homosexuality Bill" and has successfully used the legal system to fight harassment and violence from government and private actors. SMUG also does important work supporting individuals who suffer from abuse.
Frank Mugisha and his colleagues in SMUG have demonstrated great courage in fronting the fight for LGBTI people's rights. People who do not conform to society's gender and sexual norms are subject to abuse in today's Uganda. Homosexuality is publicly portrayed as "un-African" and a "contagious" pollutant that destroys society and therefore must be eliminated. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons are often ostracised by their families and local communities and are left without any form of social safety net. Many lose their jobs and places at school and end up having to live in the slum.
By awarding the 2011 Rafto Prize to SMUG and Frank Mugisha's fight for sexual minorities, the Rafto Foundation wishes to underscore that human rights encompass everyone and that it is unacceptable to persecute or discriminate against anyone based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. SMUG and Frank Mugisha's fight for the human dignity of a particularly vulnerable group is also part of a greater fight for democracy and social justice.
Since receiving the Rafto prize, the Rafto Foundation has worked closely with SMUG and Mugisha, providing protection and running the Twitter-campaign #tacklehomophobia. Mugisha is also among the laureates initiating the Rafto programme “Free Speech to Overcome Hate Speech”.
"We need new voices to speak up for feedom and dignity for gays and lesbians"
Other laureates

Luis Manuel Otero Alcántara

Defence for Children International-Palestine (DCIP)

Nodjigoto Charbonnel

Human Rights Data Analysis Group

Egyptian Commission for Rights and Freedoms

Rouba Mhaissen

Ombudsman Adam Bodnar

Parveena Ahangar & Parvez Imroz

Yanar Mohammed

Padre Melo

Agora - Pavel Chikov

Bahrain Center for Human Rights

Nnimmo Bassey

José Raúl Vera López

Malahat Nasibova

Bulambo Lembelembe Josué

National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights

Thích Quảng Độ

Lidia Yusupova

Rebiya Kadeer

Paulos Tesfagiorgis

Sidi Mohammed Daddach

Shirin Ebadi

Kim Dae-jung

Gennady Grushevoy

ECPAT

Ian Hancock

Palermo Anno Uno

Committee of Soldiers' Mothers of Russia

Leyla Zana

José Ramos-Horta

Preah Maha Ghosananda

Yelena Bonner

Aung San Suu Kyi

Doina Cornea

FIDESZ - Péter Molnár

Trivimi Velliste
