Steering Committee

Passita (She/Her) is a Beninese trans activist, co-founder and Executive Director of the first identity association for transgender people in Benin, Synergie Trans Benin (STB). She holds a Master’s degree in Business Law and Judicial Careers and is a force for advancement of the trans movement in West Africa. Besides her proven leadership abilities, her experience advocating for LGBTIQ activism in francophone countries on the continent with organisations like Fierte Afrique Francophone network and IDENTIQ makes her an invaluable asset to our mission for language justice and inclusive representation.

Sam is a Trans man from Zimbabwe  raised on Feminist principles. He is Director of Trans Research Education Advocacy and Training (TREAT), a Trans led organization in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe and currently serving as Chairperson of the Southern African Trans Forum (SATF) and Co-Chair of the African Trans Network (ATN) Steering Committee. Sam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Science and holder of a Peace building Certificate. He is a vibrant poet and musician who believes that love and empathy will continue to be unequalled forces in centering and growing movements around the globe.

Bronnie (She/Her) is a Tanzanian Trans/Queer feminist activist and human rights defender working to advance the rights and well-being of LGBTIQ+ communities and sex workers across East Africa. She holds a degree in Project Planning, Management and Community Development and serves as the Programs Coordinator at the Tanzania Community Empowerment Foundation (TACEF) and co-coordinates the national umbrella body Sexual Minority Tanzania (SMT). Bronnie also co-leads the AHEA& LELE Leadership Program, empowering grassroots LGBTIQ+ and sex worker activists. She currently serves as the Secretary of the UNAIDS & OHCHR Advisory Board for the Program on Strengthening the Enabling Environment for LGBTIQ+ Communities (2025–2026), and is a Board member to Tanzania Feminist Network. Bronnie brings intersectional leadership, policy advocacy, and regional solidarity to her role as the Secretary for the Steering Committee.

Pepe (He/Him) is a community organiser, feminist, environmentalist and counsellor who is personally connected to the population he serves in Uganda, the East African region and beyond. He is a trans man living openly in Uganda and serves as the Director of Programs at Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG) and the founding president of SMUG Europe. Pepe holds a Certificate in Community Counselling, is a Democracy Fellow of 2015 NED Reagan-Fascell and 2018 Columbia University Human Rights Advocacy Program. He is also the recipient of the 2012 Global Citizen Award from the Clinton Global Initiative, the Hero of Year Award from Stonewall-UK in 2014 and in 2015 he received the GLAAD award for “Outstanding Talk show Episode” for his appearance on the John Oliver Last Week Tonight show.

Theo (He/Him) is a trans man from Cameroon with over 10 years’ experience in human rights activism. He is currently the president of Trans* Pride Afrique Francophone and a member of AQYI (African queer youth initiative). Theo is an expert in a wide range of areas related to movement building, including monitoring and evaluation, project management and development as well as facilitation. In 2017, he was instrumental in the creation of the West African Trans Forum (WATF), before going on to aid the establishment of a network which represents central Africa, Reseau Indépendant des Trans Africain RITAC  in 2020, and later he also contributed to the establishment of our very own African Trans Network.

Alesandra (She/Her) is a Kenyan activist and the Deputy Director with Jinsiangu Kenya. She a seasoned human resource management practitioner and has over a decade of experience using media relations, community relations, government research, financial relations, public diplomacy, and strategic litigation to lobby for legal and gender recognition in Kenya. Her notable contributions include advancing access to funding with bilateral funding mechanisms, developing a National Guidance for HIV/STI programming with Trans people in Kenya; pioneering a Centre of Excellence (CoE) for Transgender programming in Kenya; and notable engagements with the African Commission of People and Human Rights (ACPHR) and the Human Rights Council (HRC) which have been instrumental in shaping the human rights discourse in Kenya.

Hiba is a queer activist working with Damj, the Tunisian association for justice and equality. They are a caseworker and part of the support committee at Damj. They mainly work on Trans rights advocacy, mapping of services dedicated to trans people in Tunisia and documentation of rights violations in Tunisia. They are a referrer with international partners for emergency case support and resettlement for Trans persons. They are a researcher and passionate about Trans issues.

Izgar (They/Them) is a trans non-binary activist, writer, and community organizer from Morocco. They are the Founder and Executive Director of Groupe d’Action Féministe Maroc (GAFM.1), a grassroots organization dedicated to intersectional feminism, queer, and trans advocacy. With a background in narrative activism, Izgar leads transformative projects centering LGBTQIA+ voices, trauma-informed care, and intersectional justice. Their work bridges activism, art, and healing in repressive environments. As a member of the ATN Steering Committee, they bring a bold vision for trans liberation in North Africa, grounded in decolonial activism, community care, and regional movement-building.

Jamal (He/Him) is a trans man and activist from Ghana.  He currently serves as the Founder and Board Chair of the Alliance for Dynamics Initiative, as well as a working group member of GATE’s Transmen in HIV. He hopes to bring his lived experiences and regional solidarity to the ATN Steering Committee.

Pan Africa ILGA (PAI) is the African regional chapter of ILGA World, the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association. Based in Johannesburg and founded in 2007, PAI represents over 150 member organisations across Africa—from Algeria to Zimbabwe.

Representative: Zsa-Zsa Fisher [She/Her]
Country: South Africa

Iranti is a Johannesburg-based human rights organisation founded in 2012. It advocates for the rights of lesbian, intersex, trans, and gender-diverse people across Southern and East Africa through media, advocacy, and strategic partnerships.
Representative: TBC

Gender Dynamix is a South African human rights organisation based in Cape Town. Founded in 2005, it was the first African NGO dedicated solely to promoting the rights of transgender and gender-diverse people through advocacy, research, and community support.
Representative: Liberty Matthyse [She/Her]
Country: South Africa