German NGOs, LGBTQ movements and intervention in Africa

The killing of Muhsin Hendricks in Gqeberha on February 15 has garnered media attention in South Africa and internationally.

While the motive behind the murder remains unknown, speculation suggests his advocacy for Islamic marriage rites for gay couples may have played a role. This incident has reignited debates about the intersection of LGBTQ rights, religious doctrine and foreign influence in Africa.

Religious law vs secular protections

South African law and the constitution recognise the rights of LGBTQ individuals in the framework of secular governance. However, they do not extend to compelling religious institutions to alter doctrinal positions that do not recognise same-sex unions. This distinction is at the heart of the tensions surrounding Hendricks' activism, as his efforts to introduce an “Islamic Nikah” for gay couples were seen by some as an attempt to reform a religious practice deeply rooted in traditional interpretations of Islam.

Social engineering: who defines Africa’s future?

While Hendricks had the legal right to live openly as a gay man under South African law, his push to reform Islam to accommodate same-sex marriages was met with fierce opposition.

This issue extends beyond individual activism and into the broader phenomenon of Western-funded liberal influence in Africa. Over the past two decades, an increasing number of European and North American organisations have funded initiatives aimed at reshaping religious and cultural norms in the Global South.

A prime example is the Al-Ghurbaa Foundation, the organisation Hendricks led, which receives funding from Western entities, including the German foreign office, the Heinrich Böll Stiftung and the New Africa Fund. While these institutions position themselves as supporters of progressive causes, their involvement in funding Islamic institutions raises critical questions.

Why would German government-linked entities invest in an “Islamic” foundation unless there was an underlying agenda? More importantly, why do these same organisations provide unwavering support for Israel — a state accused of systematic human rights violations against Palestinians — while simultaneously funding LGBTQ advocacy in Muslim communities in Africa? This contradiction exposes the selective nature of Western human rights advocacy, where LGBTQ rights are championed while Palestinian rights are disregarded.

German hypocrisy

In recent years, German NGOs have played a significant role in promoting LGBTQ as a rights issue across Africa. While at face value this advocacy appears to be an extension of human rights promotion, a closer look reveals a more complex geopolitical agenda. LGBTQ rights often serve as a convenient façade for deeper political and economic intervention, enabling German NGOs to extend their influence.

• Mariam Jooma Çarıkçı is a researcher with the Media Review Network and the author of ‘Kurdistan: Achievable Reality or Political Mirage?’ (2013).

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