Strengthening an LGBTI-Inclusive Movement at the International Level

This project supports OutRight International’s coronavirus (COVID-19) Global LGBTI Emergency Fund which provides financial and other types of practical support to local partners worldwide. The Fund works to mitigate the negative consequences of the pandemic by helping local partners create tailored responses to this crisis based on the needs of the people they serve. This project also supports OutRight's global research and advocacy programs that aim to collect data develop analysis on the threats and opportunities confronting LGBTIQ communities worldwide and uphold their human rights at national and international levels. Project activities include: (1) providing financial resources or re-granting to in-country partners through COVID-19 Emergency Fund; (2) collecting and analyzing data to document and publish three reports including policy recommendations to be used as advocacy tools; (3) conducting capacity building sessions with LGBTI human rights defenders on leading and coordinating advocacy campaigns/meetings; and (4) on-going awareness raising on sexual orientation gender identity and expression and sex characteristics issues and technical support to duty-bearers at the international level in various United Nations spaces. The main beneficiaries of this project are LGBTI people communities and human rights defenders in developing countries.

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased use of gender responsive and sensitive COVID-19 pandemic resources by rights-holders (LGBTI groups and human rights defenders (HRDs) in developing countries) in order to meet their basic needs and mitigate the negative consequences of the pandemic; (2) improved use of enhanced evidence base research by LGBTI civil society organizations and HRDs as well as by international duty-bearers (such as the UN LGBTI Core Group) to protect and promote the human rights and legal protections of LGBTI people; and (3) enhanced political will of duty-bearers as well as new allies and champions in UN spaces to articulate LGBTI-inclusive language that advances LGBTI human rights in international human rights frameworks.