In 2009 a bill was introduced to the Ugandan Parliament to outlaw homosexuality. Three years after the initial introduction of the Anti Homosexuality Bill 2009, the Ugandan Parliament passed the Anti Homosexuality Act 2014, which still contained a majority of the Anti Homosexual Bill legislation with some amendments. The most significant amendment was the removal of the death penalty in favour of life imprisonment. Roughly two months later, The Anti Homosexuality Act was signed by President Yoweri Museveni and on the 10th of March 2014 the law took effect, significantly extending the legal framework in terms of penalizing homosexuals. The law now entails the prohibition of ‘promotion’ of homosexuality, includes the criminalization of landlords not reporting homosexual tenants and an offence labelled as “aggravated homosexuality”, penalized with life imprisonment.

The objective of this thesis has been to analyse the developmental consequences of the Anti Homosexuality Act 2014 and particularly the concerns for the LGBT population of Uganda. This has been done by applying the Capabilities Approach, and establishing the argument that human rights are essential in producing a framework for providing the essential capabilities and freedoms. In conclusion, it is the findings of this thesis that the legislation is endangering the life and health of LGBT persons. The Act endangers and excludes the LGBT community from important forms of political, social and familial affiliation and eradicating the emotional equanimity as a result of fear of persecution. The act has not only served to endanger the LGBT community through deprivation of goods and capabilities, but has also stripped them of any supportive acquaintances, as a consequence of specific provisions endangering their network. The developmental consequences of the Anti Homosexuality Act are catastrophic, saturating major parts of the Ugandan society, structurally challenging future progress and reverting development, particularly evident in the discontinuation of numerous health services and the redirection of foreign aid and donations.