Article 2 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) states that the freedoms and livelihoods of people throughout the world cannot be compromised or denied based on “colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status.” The list of characteristics enumerated in the UDHR seems to protect members of all possible social categories; however, Article 2 fails to explicitly mention sexual orientation as a personal trait protected from discrimination and violence.

Using Gambia as the location, the author explores the question of whether it is possible for Human rights organizations to work with/alongside authoritarian regimes to benefit the people in the country.