The KwaZulu-Natal Christian Council (KZNCC) recognizes the unique role that can be played by churches to respond to violence on marginalized groups such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual+ people (LGBTIQA+)
KZNCC LGBTIQA+ Programme provides the platform for KwaZulu-Natal Church Leaders to be very prophetic in giving their pastoral response to stigma and discrimination that LGBTIQA+ people are enduring in our churches.
Homosexual people, who happen to be members of a church often encounter stigma, discrimination and rejection in the church environment.
The LGBTIQA+ programme addresses the homophobia in the churches in KwaZulu-Natal Province, of the perception that other sexual orientations like lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual+ people.
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES OF KZNCC LGBTIQA+ PROGRAMME
- To address homophobia in the churches by engaging heads of churches in the Province of KwaZulu-Natal making churches an enabling environment and a safe space for LGBTIQA+ people .
- To expose KwaZulu-Natal Church leaders from the full spectrum of Christian churches (mainline, Pentecostal, AICs, diaspora churches) to the lived experiences of LGBTIQA+ people in a forum where homosexuality in the Christian tradition is addressed in a comprehensive way on the basis of recent research.
- To create awareness, and promote advocacy of human rights and respect of human dignity of LGBTI people within the churches and society at large.
- To document record & transcribe through the Oral History Methodology the lived experience of LGBTIQA+ people within the churches and beyond.
- To do capacity building of church leaders to be inclusive and prophetic in their pastoral care work , training a body of church-based LGBTIQA+ activists to contribute to a campaign for the rights of LGBTIQA+