By Omar Bah
A large majority of Gambians, (only one in four) feel comfortable living next door to someone in a same-sex relationship, the latest Afrobarometer Pan-Africa profile reveals.
In The Gambia, societal discomfort towards same-sex relationships is deeply rooted in cultural and legal frameworks. Same-sex sexual activity is criminalised, with penalties reaching life imprisonment for “aggravated homosexuality” since 2014.
This legal backdrop fosters a hostile environment, where LGBT individuals face harassment and discrimination. Public sentiment is largely negative, influenced by historical anti-gay rhetoric from former president Yahya Jammeh, and ongoing government statements reinforce the lack of acceptance.
Consequently, according to the recent Afrobarometer survey, many Gambians feel uncomfortable living alongside individuals in same-sex relationships, reflecting broader societal attitudes against LGBT rights.
The report, based on 53,444 face-to-face interviews in 39 African countries including The Gambia, also shows widespread perceptions of unfair treatment by governments, especially on the basis of people’s economic status.
However, the report added that Africans express tolerance toward people of different ethnicities, religions, political affiliations, and nationalities.
It added that while majorities say they trust other groups of people at least “somewhat,” only relatives enjoy “a lot” of trust from a majority of respondents, and nearly half of respondents express
little or no trust in people from other ethnic and religious backgrounds.
Overall, Africans express a strong attachment to their national identities, but a majority consider their ethnic identities at least equally important.
Key findings
According to the findings, on average across 39 countries, at least eight in 10 Africans express tolerant attitudes toward people of different ethnicities (89%), different religions (85%), different political affiliations (82%), and different nationalities (80%) while only one-fourth (24%) say the same about people in same-sex relationships.
