Queer Black Liberation in Action: Spotlight on GEPA South Sudan

“Despite the immense challenges posed by South Sudan’s poor human rights record, GEPA South Sudan remains steadfast in its commitment to championing the rights of sexual minorities. We draw inspiration from trailblazers such as Senior Counsel Nicholas Opiyo, a human rights defender from Chapter Four Uganda, Dr. Frank Mugisha of SMUG, and Dr. Stella Nyanzi.” 

         -Paul ONEK Isidoro, Program Coordinator, GEPA South Sudan

We are honouring and celebrating Black History Month by featuring a Black-led partner organization of Rainbow Railroad every week of February and exploring how queer Black liberation informs their work. This week, we are featuring GEPA, a rights-based organization in South Sudan.  

A Challenging Landscape for LGBTQI+ Rights in South Sudan

In South Sudan, consensual same-sex sexual acts continue to be criminalised in 2025, and LGBTQI+ refugees in the camps in South Sudan face unique vulnerability, often enduring harassment, discrimination, and violence. Furthermore, the influx of LGBTQI+ refugees fleeing the war in Sudan further strains the already overcrowded camps. Queer and trans refugees confront intensified dangers in these environments, including abuse from fellow refugees and limited access to essential services. South Sudan’s conservative social norms exacerbate these issues, leaving LGBTQI+ refugees without adequate protection. 

The current legal landscape in South Sudan presents significant challenges, with laws such as the Penal Code Act, 2008 and the Revised National HIV and AIDS Strategic Plan either failing to recognize or actively discriminating against LGBTQI+ populations.

Despite the optimism brought about by South Sudan’s independence in 2011, the LGBTQI+ community continues to face significant challenges. “While the country’s separation from Sudan marked a liberation for many, it did not extend to sexual minorities,” explains Paul. 

Driving Change Through Advocacy and Service

GEPA South Sudan, established in 2015, is a rights-based national organization driven by a commitment to sustainable change. It aims to mobilize, engage, and empower women, sexual minorities, sex workers, and other marginalized populations by creating networks that foster opportunities for sustainable livelihoods, health and positive impact within their communities.

GEPA South Sudan provides a range of services to achieve these aims. They offer pro-bono legal services to asylum seekers, engage in strategic litigation on matters of public interest, ensure legal protection for vulnerable populations and provide psychosocial support services to survivors of conversion therapy and other forms of sexual and gender-based violence. The organization is also in the process of establishing access to temporary safe shelters for those in need. Additionally, they offer livelihood skills training and support in the form of seed and start-up capital.

Amplifying LGBTQI+ Voices

The advocacy efforts of GEPA South Sudan center on amplifying the voices of marginalized populations through evidence-based research and digital media, to inform new laws and amend existing policies. The organization seeks to address the layered oppressions experienced by LGBTQI+ individuals and views the struggle for Black liberation as inherently intertwined with queer liberation.

From 2018 to 2022, the organization led a campaign addressing the sexual and economic exploitation of women employed in the natural resources sector in the Eastern Equatoria state in South Sudan. 

GEPA also advocated for the full implementation of the 35% women’s representation quota in the Revitalized Transitional Government of National Unity, as outlined in the current peace accord. This effort involved collaboration with women leaders from various political factions. 

Currently, they are focused on organizing a consultative forum for technical experts and policymakers on the East African Community Sexual and Reproductive Health Bill of 2021. Additionally, GEPA is leading an advocacy campaign to repeal the HIV criminalization and anti-homosexuality provisions in the Penal Code Act of 2008.

The organization also works to strengthen alliances among actors in the gender-based violence space and other rights-based programming within the sexual minority community.

The Power of Partnership: Collaborating with Rainbow Railroad

Since February 2022, GEPA has implemented two Rainbow Railroad-funded projects: providing pro-bono legal services for incarcerated sexual minorities and exploring the provision of safe shelter for survivors of conversion therapy.

This partnership has resulted in freedom from incarceration for 22 LGBTQI+ individuals through pro bono legal services to secure police bond and court bails, as well as support for securing legal status for 14 LGBTQI+ migrants in South Sudan.

The partnership with Rainbow Railroad also provided access to comprehensive sexuality education to over 500 LGBTQI+ persons via the website www.healthnow-ssd.org.

The day-to-day work of GEPA comes with both challenges and rewards. There is a constant threat of violent crackdowns and security breaches, exacerbated by increasing surveillance and rising LGBTQI+ hostility in the region. “Despite these risks, the work is deeply fulfilling. The ability to restore hope and make a tangible difference—whether through a legal advisory session, pro-bono services, or simply the smile on someone’s face after counseling—provides a profound sense of purpose and commitment to service,” remarks Paul ONEK Isidoro, Program Coordinator.

From Inspiration to Queering the System

“We draw inspiration from trailblazers such as Senior Counsel Nicholas Opiyo, a human rights defender from Chapter Four Uganda, Dr. Frank Mugisha of SMUG, and Dr. Stella Nyanzi. These figures serve as the north star and source of inspiration for advocacy efforts supporting LGBTQI+ individuals experiencing forced displacement.”

For GEPA South Sudan, the queer community is more than a collective of individuals united by a common culture, it is a bond of solidarity that transcends borders, bringing people together not just to celebrate pride and diversity, but to amplify each other’s voices in the struggle for rights and recognition. The organization is dedicated to “queering” the system by integrating transformative alternatives in designing its sustainability planning and by using the concept of queer futurity. In their immediate intervention, GEPA South Sudan internally uses queer data (gender marker and sexuality) to ensure inclusivity in decision-making, programming and onward data for action.

The Fight for Queer Black Liberation

In expressing gratitude to supporters of Rainbow Railroad, Paul emphasizes the importance of their contributions:

“We thank you for the enormous support you have given to Rainbow Railroad over time and to equally let you know that every ounce of support being given to Rainbow Railroad is by extension reaching the most at-risk population across the globe where it’s most urgently needed through agencies like us-GEPA South Sudan.”

GEPA envisions a future where human rights are universally upheld, a dream inspired by the resilience of those who have historically faced oppression. 

Their efforts are bolstered by the critical reports of the UN Human Rights Commission and Amnesty International, which underscore the urgent need to address systemic violations in South Sudan and reaffirm the necessity of dismantling all forms of injustice.

“Despite the immense challenges posed by South Sudan’s poor human rights record, GEPA South Sudan remains steadfast in its commitment to championing the rights of sexual minorities.” 

This unwavering dedication is deeply intertwined with the broader struggle for Black liberation—a fight for equality, dignity, and justice that transcends borders. 

In safeguarding both program personnel and direct beneficiaries, GEPA SOUTH SUDAN refrains from sharing personal photos, prioritizing the protection of those involved in its critical work.