Africans tolerant on religion,

Africans tolerant on religion, ethnicity, nationality, and HIV, but not homosexuality, survey finds

The survey shows that South Africans are tolerant of different religions, ethnicity, people living with HIV/AIDS and homosexuality, but it scored low when it comes to migrant workers.

Africans tolerant on religion,

The latest Afrobarometer survey has revealed some interesting findings. The report, titled “Good neighbours? Africans express high levels of tolerance for many, but not for all,” revealed that contrary to common portrayals, Africans express high degrees of tolerance for people from different ethnic groups, people of different religions, immigrants, and people living with HIV/AIDS.

Afrobarometer reports that survey respondents in 33 countries exhibit largely tolerant attitudes toward social differences, with the major exception of homosexuality. Even so, homophobia is not a universal phenomenon in Africa: At least half of all citizens in four African countries say they would not mind or would welcome having homosexual neighbours.

Tolerance scores vary widely by country/region, and analysis points to education, media consumption, and exposure to a diverse population as major drivers of increasing tolerance on the African continent.

Across 33 countries, large majorities of African citizens exhibit high tolerance for people from different ethnic groups (91%), people of different religions (87%), immigrants (81%), and people living with HIV/AIDS (68%).

afrobarometer

A large majority of African citizens, however, are intolerant of homosexual citizens. Across the 33 countries, an average of 78% of respondents say they would “somewhat dislike” or “strongly dislike” having a homosexual neighbour.

Levels of tolerance in the five categories show notable differences by country and region. In general, North African countries show the lowest tolerance on all indicators except HIV/AIDS, where the region ranks above East and West Africa.

In terms of tolerance for people of different ethnicities South Africa ranked above the average of 91% with 9%. Senegal and Gabon topped the list with 99%. The report also shows that South Africans are ver tolerant of people from a different religion, sitting in the top four with 95%, well above the average of 87%. Mzansi was also in the top four with tolerance of people living with HIV/AIDS with a tolerance of 91%, well above the overall average of 68%. In this category, Sierra Leone (23%), Madagascar (23%) and Niger (22%) were the least tolerant

When it comes to tolerance for immigrants or foreign workers, South Africa’s tolerance was well below the 81% average, with 68%, making South Africa one of the five least tolerant countries to foreign workers. Cape Verde, Burkina Faso and Benin topped the list at 94%.

South Africans are also comparatively tolerant of homosexuals. It was the second most tolerant country after Cape Verde with 67% of respondents saying that would not be opposed to homosexuals as neighbours. This is well above the average of 21%. Zambia, Sierra Leone, Malawi, Niger, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Guinea and Senegal were all the least tolerant of homosexuals with an average of under ten percent.