Moud Goba

Moud Goba is a Zimbabwean LGBTIQ+ human rights activist. She is a refugee in the United Kingdom where she arrived as a young asylum seeker fleeing Zimbabwe after years of persecution for being a lesbian.[1]

Moud Goba
Born
Harare, Zimbabwe
NationalityZimbabwean
Organisations
Awards

Early life

Goba grew up in Harare, Zimbabwe.[2] She fled the country during Robert Mugabe's regime,[3] which saw the harassment and persecution of homosexuals.[4] After applying for asylum in the UK, she waited two years for her request to be granted. Goba described the wait as a "time to volunteer for a number of organizations and set up my own—Gay Afrika—to help me find others like me living in the U.K."[5]

Activism

Goba is one of the founding members of UK Black Pride, a black gay pride event in London that has taken place since 2005.[6] She is currently the chair of their board of directors.[7]

Goba works as a project manager for Micro Rainbow International, a charity that supports homeless LGBTIQ+ people seeking asylum.[8] Goba works to help refugees on employability skills as well as leads MRI's safe housing project, which houses 25,000 homeless LGBTIQ+ people every year.[7] Goba focuses on refugees arriving to the UK from Afghanistan.[9]

In 2022, Goba was part of the parade for LGBTIQ+ rights at the opening of the Commonwealth Games at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham, England, along with five other activists and English diver Tom Daley.[10]

For her collaboration with UK grassroot organizations in helping LGBTIQ+ refugees, Goba was included on Global Citizen's list of activists in 2023, stating that "she’s definitely a force to pay attention to in 2023".[11]

Awards and honors

In 2015, The Independent named Goba as one of the top 100 most influential LGBTIQ+ people in the UK for her experience working with LGBTIQ+ refugees.[12]

In 2017, the LGBT magazine Attitude recognized Goba's help to other refugees by honoring her with an Attitude Pride Award.[3]

In 2022, Goba was listed as one of the BBC's 100 Women, recognizing her contributions to LGBTIQ+ asylum seekers and refugees.[7]

In 2023, Goba received BET International's Global Good Award for "fostering LGBTQ+ safe spaces and refugee integration in society".[13]

References
  1. Opoku-Gyimah, Phyll (6 December 2022). "Lady Phyll shares powerful story of the 'Black, lesbian, warrior woman' who changed her life for good, Moud Goba". PinkNews. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
  2. Goba, Moud (16 November 2021). "I fled to the UK seeking asylum – now I'm a proud lesbian mum". Metro. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  3. "Attitude Pride Award Winner: LGBT asylum seeker activist Moud Goba". Attitude. 7 September 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  4. Muparamoto, Nelson (11 November 2021). "LGBT individuals and the struggle against Robert Mugabe's extirpation in Zimbabwe". Africa Review. 13 (3): S1–S16. doi:10.1080/09744053.2020.1812042. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  5. Cairns, Kay (15 January 2017). "Zim gay activist in the UK: Moud Goba – "Part gay but all human"". Nehanda Radio. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  6. "Moud Goba". LGBTLeaders.co.uk. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  7. Wylie, Melissa (6 December 2022). "BBC 100 Women 2022: Who is on the list this year?". BBC News. Retrieved 20 July 2023.
  8. "Meet the visionaries blazing a trail for LGBTQIA women and non-binary people". Diva. 22 April 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  9. "Moud Goba". Rencontres Economiques d'Aix-en-Provence. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  10. "Zimbabwean lesbian and refugee part of gay rights parade at Commonwealth Games opening". NewZimbabwe.com. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  11. Okunola, Akindare (16 December 2022). "18 Activists You Should Absolutely Look Out for in 2023". Global Citizen. Retrieved 24 July 2023.
  12. Morrison, Sarah (15 November 2015). "Rainbow List 2015: 1 to 101". The Independent. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  13. Ramachandran, Naman (20 June 2023). "LGBTQ+ Activist Moud Goba to be Honored With 2023 BET International Global Good Award (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
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