The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda, which is openly homophobic, has been a direct recipient of UK aid money.

Source: IRCU

A report reveals that a religious group in Uganda, which is strongly against the LGBTQ+ community and seeks to criminalize homosexuality, has received funding from the UK government. The Institute for Journalism and Social Change analyzed official data submitted to the International Assistance Transparency Initiative and found numerous links between anti-LGBTQ+ organizations in Uganda and international donors, including the UK.

The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) has been receiving UK funding as an implementing partner for a plan to achieve an open society in Uganda. The IRCU’s founding members, including the Church of Uganda and several evangelical groups, have expressed concern about the growing spread of homosexuality in Uganda and its impact on children’s safety.

The anti-homosexuality bill 2023, which seeks to extend the country’s anti-gay laws, was passed by the Ugandan parliament last month. The UK government claims to have cut off funding to the IRCU after it made critical statements about the proposed law. President Yoweri Museveni has refused to sign the measure into law and has asked parliament to reconsider it.