African Court Cases - Legal Grounds

LEGAL GROUNDS: Reproductive and Sexual Rights in Sub-Saharan African Courts

Legal Grounds III, Online edition, with updates and links to decisions:

Child, Forced and Early Marriage

Female Genital Mutilation

Law and Advocacy for Women in Uganda v The Attorney General [2010] UGCC 4, Constitutional Petition No. 8 of 2007 (Constitutional Court of Uganda at Kampala). [Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) prohibited as unconstitutional] Decision online. Decision in PDF

Sexual Abuse, Assault and Violence

Consensual Sexual Conduct

Student Pregnancy

Chapter Three: Maternal Health Care and Services

Abortion

Wrongful Birth or Life

Adoption

Surrogacy

Rape

  • S v Chirembwe [2015] ZWHHC 162, CRB No. R 1006/12 (High Court of Zimbabwe at Harare) Decision online. [Sentence length for multiple rapes] 

Disability

Sexual Harassment

  • *Rita M Mbatha v Farai B Zizhou & Anor, [2021] HH675-21, HC 4986/14. (High Court of Zimbabwe at Harare), 20 October 2021 Decision online. Awarded damages for sexual harassment at work.

Women and Criminal Law

Gender Identity, Intersexuality, Transgender Rights

Sexual Orientation

  • Oloka-Onyango and 9 Others v Attorney General [2014], Constitutional Petition No. 8 of 2014, 
    UGCC 14 (1 August 2014) (Constitutional Court of Uganda at Kampala). [Anti-Homosexuality Act annulled due to lack of parliamentary quorum.] Decision online.
  • C.O.L. & G.M.N. v. Resident Magistrate Kwale Court & Others Petition No. 51 of 2015 (High Court of Kenya, Constitutional and Judicial Review Division). [Court allowed medical examinations including anal exams to prove crime of homosexuality] Decision on file.
  • *Teriah Joseph Ebah v. Federal Government of NigeriaSuit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/197/2014. Decision of October 22, 2014 (Federal High Court of Nigeria at Abuja) [Court evaded legalizing homosexuality on constitutional grounds by denying legal standing to the applicant. ] Decision online. Case comment by Ovye Affi.**
  • *["Eric Gitari 2"] EG & 7 others v Attorney General; DKM & 9 others Petition 150 & 234 of 2016 (consolidated), (High Court of Kenya at Nairobi, Constitutional and Human Rights Division). Decision of May 24, 2019 [homosexuality not legalized]  Decision online.
  • *Letsweletse Motshidiemang v Attorney General [2019] MAHGB-000591-16, Decision of June 11, 2019. (Botswana, High Court) Decision online. Article by Prof. Frans Viljoen. Case comment by Kutlwano Pearl Magashula** [gay sex decriminalized]
  • *Attorney General vLetsweletse Motshidiemang & LEGABIBO (Amicus Curiae)[2021] CACBB-157-19, Decision of November 29, 2021. (Botswana, Court of Appeal) Decision online. .[Decriminalization of gay sex confirmed on appeal.] Article by Carmel Rickard
  • *Hon. Fox Odoi & 21 Others v Attorney General & 3 Others (Consolidated Constitutional Petition 14 of 2023; Consolidated Constitutional Petition 15 of 2023; Consolidated Constitutional Petition 16 of 2023; Consolidated Constitutional Petition 85 of 2023) [2024] UGCC 10 (3 April 2024) [The Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 is constitutional.]  Comment by Nimrod Muhumuza on AFRICLAW.

Recognition of LGBTIQ Advocacy and Groups

Access to Treatment

Stigma, and Criminalisation of Transmission

Forced Sterilization

Discrimination in Employment

PDF

Discrimination in Sentencing

  • *MK v Director of Public Prosecutions and Others, CONST 5 of 2020 [2022] LSHC 238 (High Court of Lesotho) October 25, 2022, [constitutional challenge overturned certain sections of the Sexual Offences Act that impose mandatory HIV testing on persons accused of sexual offences, then impose a death sentence on persons convicted of sexual offences solely based on their HIV-positive status.] News report. Decision online. Backup copy of decision.

Chapter Eight: Francophone Africa  /  L’Afrique Francophone

Download: Francophone Africa  /  L’Afrique Francophone

  • [Adultery / L’adultère] Décision DCC 09-081 Decision DCC 09-081 of 30 July 2009 of the Constitutional Court of Benin (adultery law unconstitutional). Decision in French on file. Decision en ligne.
  • [Polygamy / La polygamie] Décision DCC 02-144 of 23 December 2002 of the Constitutional Court of Benin (polygamy law unconstitutional) Decision in French on file. Decision en ligne.
  • [Infanticide / L’infanticide] Judgment No 216 of 13 December 2005 the Court of Appeal Niamey , Niger (distinction between abortion and infanticide) Decision on file, in French.

Online Legal Resources

Full Citation Information and Case Links

*Updates, not in Legal Grounds III, are marked with one asterisk.


 

** We thank Prof. Ebenezer Durojaye for facilitating this case comment, and others by African law students, marked with two asterisks.