JOHANNESBURG – The Civil 20 (C20), a network that represents civil society within the G20, has called on world leaders to include LGBTQ rights in their 2025 policy discussions. The group says the G20’s development agenda cannot be inclusive if it continues to overlook parts of society.
Formally known as the 2025 C20 Policy Pack, the proposals are a collection of policy recommendations developed by civil society organisations, including NGOs, advocacy groups and community networks, for G20 leaders to consider shaping their global priorities for the year ahead.
In a formal letter addressed to the G20 Presidency and C20 Steering Committee, Roché Kester, serving on the C20, said stakeholder submissions from LGBTQ organisations across the world offer an “indispensable roadmap” for an evidence-based framework.
She said LGBTQ inclusion is not a niche concern, but essential to achieving the G20’s goals of stability, sustainability and cohesion, especially across Africa and the Global South.
The letter called for data collection that reflects LGBTQ communities, the repeal of colonial-era laws that perpetuate exclusion, and fair access to healthcare, education, social protection and digital spaces.
Kester’s submission reframes the issue from one of social rights to one of development and governance by linking LGBTQ rights to economic reform, digital inclusion and climate justice.
She said tax, inheritance and social benefit laws that privilege one type of family deepen poverty and restrict development for non-conforming families.
Kester explained that these recommendations chart a path toward a better standard of living for those combating poverty and economic inequality, by advocating for economic policies that support LGBTQ-led enterprises, ensure workplace non-discrimination, and provide targeted entrepreneurial funding.
“One cannot access a classroom, a clinic, or a marketplace in fear of violence or discrimination,” said Kester.
Her submission grounds its case in international human rights law, the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the Maputo Protocol. “The contributions leverage these instruments to demonstrate that promoting LGBTQ inclusivity is a matter of legal obligation and alignment with established global commitments.”
While legal and policy frameworks like these don’t explicitly reference LGBTQ inclusion, the shared principle of “leave no one behind” provides a clear framework for it. This was noted in an article titled Africa’s Policies Hold Key To LGBT Rights On The Continent, published in The Conversation.
Kester’s call comes amid growing concern about rising anti-LGBTQ sentiment across Africa. Amnesty International reports that more than 30 African countries still criminalise consensual same-sex relationships. They warn of a “stiffening of existing laws” and cite Uganda’s 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act as one of the continent’s most severe regressions.
As South Africa prepares to host the G20 Leaders’ Summit in November, the C20’s call signals a growing push to make inclusivity a defining feature of the presidency’s theme of Solidarity, Sustainability and Resilience.
- Roché Kester is the Second Sous Sherpa of the Civil Society20 (C20)
