ILGA World’s Post

Last week unprecedented and drastic budget cuts in development aid (no longer cooperation) were announced by the Dutch Ministerie van Buitenlandse Zaken For civil society, these cuts total 1 billion Euro for the period 2026-2030. In addition, gender equality is no longer a theme, although support for women human right defenders, women entrepreneurs, and LGBTI groups is mentioned as well as fighting Gender-based violence and harmful practices. Time to roll up our sleeves and show the importance of feminist funding! In this interview To Tjoelker, ex-diplomat and the brain behind Voice and Leading from the South -now retired- and Saranel Benjamin from Mama Cash discuss the importance of funding for gender equality, including the need for long-term core funding. "The journey to adopt an abortion law in Benin took over ten years of work and advocacy by women’s groups. How much more effective could they have been if they’d received long-term funding instead of losing time negotiating short-term funding?” #ifyoucannotgivemoregivecore

📣 Calling all countries with a #feministforeignpolicy 📣 New ODI brief explores how governments with feminist foreign policy can more effectively resource #feministmovements. #FFP While feminist movements have been instrumental in shifting norms and securing a broad array of social, legal and civil rights for more than a century, insufficient funding of feminist and women’s rights organisations persists. At the same time, evidence shows that anti-gender networks are being exceptionally well-financed by those who benefit from the status quo. #leadershipmatters ➡ Adopt feminist funding practices to facilitate social movements’ access to long-term, core and flexible funding. Learn from women's funds already supporting grassroots organisations driving change. ➡ Expand existing development finance mechanisms and ringfence funding to reach feminist movements. This could be enabled through stricter gender-markers for official development assistance, and new commitments to direct funds to civil society. ➡ Shift macroeconomic policies to alleviate financial conditions and pressures on women’s organising. FFP governments can leverage their power both within international finance institutions, and through their diplomatic and bilateral relationships, to shift macroeconomic policies on issues such as debt and tax. ➡ https://lnkd.in/gAjpUT2Q

We encourage you to read this joint statement on #TransDayofRememberance and consider the actions you can take as donors: ➡ Prioritise funding directly to trans, gender diverse, sex worker-led and youth-led organisations ➡ Provide long-term, flexible and unrestricted funding  ➡ Provide funding that allows our communities to prepare for crises and be able to respond to emergencies ➡ Assess potential anti-rights opposition, attacks or threats within potential and current grantees ➡ Publicly pushback on oppressive and criminalising laws. TGEU — Trans Europe and Central Asia GATE - Global Action for Trans Equality ILGA World APTN - Asia Pacific Transgender Network IGLYO — The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation ESWA

🖤 This is a day of tremendous grief. We have been commemorating Trans Day of Remembrance since 1999 when we united in grief to remember Rita Hester, a black trans woman who had been murdered. 🖤 Despite our best efforts, 25 years later, the violence not only continues but is actively encouraged by global anti-rights efforts that deny the very existence of trans people, fuel hatred and oppose the recognition of the basic human rights of trans people. 🖤 This year, the Trans Murder Monitoring Project by TGEU has recorded one of the highest numbers of murders (350) since the project records began in 2008, totalling more than 5,000 documented murders. 🖤 This is no doubt a consequence of the concerted efforts of anti-gender and anti-rights movements that instrumentalise and vilify trans people to push wider anti-democratic political agendas. 🖤 TGEU, GATE - Global Action for Trans Equality, ILGA World, APTN - Asia Pacific Transgender Network, IGLYO — The International LGBTQI Youth & Student Organisation, and ESWA have developed a Joint Statement for Trans Day of Remembrance 2024. In the statement, we honour the lives of our siblings and demand safety amidst growing hate and anti-rights movements through clear calls to action for policymakers, lawmakers, and donors. 🖤 Read and spread the full Joint Statement to help protect trans lives now: https://lnkd.in/dU2nbpwK #TransAwarenessWeek #TDoR  #TransRights #TransRightsAreHumanRights

🇪🇺 The Ongoing Reality of Conversion Therapies Across Europe Folling my post about the challenges LGBTQ+ rights still face today, we continue our fight to ban harmful conversion practices across the European Union, it’s crucial to acknowledge the disturbing realities still faced by LGBTQI+ individuals in many countries. 🇬🇷In Greece, despite some legal frameworks, conversion therapies often persist because the law is not enforced properly, especially when doctors are not paid to carry out these practices. 🇵🇱 In Poland, conversion therapies continue in some regions, with individuals subjected to psychological manipulation and, in some cases, exorcism-based treatments. 🇪🇸 In Spain, particularly in Madrid and Valencia, conversion therapies still occur under the radar, despite the country's progressive stance on LGBTQI+ rights. In Madrid, some priests are even offering these harmful therapies, perpetuating dangerous practices that need to be urgently addressed. 🇫🇷 In France, disturbing reports reveal that some individuals undergoing "conversion therapy" are subjected to horrific practices, including exorcisms—where practitioners throw salt at the victims, physically tormenting them in the belief they can “cure” their sexuality or gender identity. These cruel methods reflect the extent to which conversion therapies continue to harm individuals across Europe. Activists like Mattéo Garguilo are working relentlessly to end these practices through the European Citizens' Initiative, demanding stronger legislation to protect LGBTQI+ people from conversion therapies across Europe. These ongoing practices highlight the need for stronger EU-wide legislation to ban conversion therapies and protect LGBTQI+ individuals from such harm. 🛑 It’s time to act. The European Commission has the chance to make a change, but we need your help. Sign the petition today to push for EU-wide action to end conversion therapies and safeguard the rights and dignity of LGBTQI+ people across Europe. 🔗 Sign the petition today in the comment below Let’s stand together for equality, dignity, and human rights for all. 🏳️🌈 #LGBTQ #EndConversionTherapy #HumanRights #EqualityForAll #Diversity #LGBTQRights #ActNow

Dear Pride Family, In 2024, the fight for trans liberation feels omnipresent, especially for those of us who identify as transgender and/or nonbinary. In the past few years alone, we've witnessed a disturbing surge in anti-trans legislation across the country. Records for the number of anti-trans bills introduced in state legislatures have been shattered year after year, with 2024 poised to continue this troubling trend. School boards have taken up the mantle, too, with harmful anti-trans policies, even here in San Diego County. This fight goes beyond policy and statehouses; the insidious rhetoric and fear-mongering campaigns that seek to erase trans and nonbinary existence from the public sphere have taken center stage, and are having truly devastating real-life impacts, as in the recent case of Nex Benedict, a trans non-binary Oklahoma teenager that died in February after being bullied and beaten. These are not abstract debates, these are matters of life and death. And, to be clear, these are not new fights. As my friend and colleague David Vance noted during our Midday Edition panel on KPBS this week, the The echoes of past discrimination against the LGBTQIA+ community are unmistakable.  But Transgender Day of Empowerment is not just about the adversity facing our community. This is about trans liberation and the data-informed and history-backed proof that we will get to freedom. We have fought very similar fights before, and we have won. We stand on the right side of history, bolstered by the courage of those who came before us and the determination of those who stand alongside us. Two decades ago, Tracie Jada O’Brien founded Transgender Day of Empowerment here in San Diego as a beacon of hope and solidarity, bringing together trans elders and young people in a shared celebration of community. The scholarships awarded in Tracie's name at the event symbolize not just financial support but a commitment to nurturing the future leaders of our community – this year’s 23 scholarships add to the grand total of 247 scholarships totaling $123,500.   We trans and nonbinary folks are resilient, yes – our elders like Tracie shine as examples of that every day. And we know that a safer and more free world is possible. It is also true that it is beyond exhausting to feel like our existence is called into question nearly every day, it is terrifying that increased visibility can also mean increased danger, and it is hard to keep fighting for the ability to be our whole selves. We can’t do this entirely on our own; we need our cisgender families, friends, colleagues, and neighbors to join us as we dream and create the safer future that we all deserve. With Pride, Jen LaBarbera(they/them/) Interim Co-Executive Director A version of this piece was published in the Union-Tribune on Thursday, April 4. Full newsletter >> mailchi.mp/sdpride/1424

I was standing on the side of the road next to a broken-down bus in the middle of the night, approximately one hour outside of Kampala. The group of Ugandan Muslim men I was travelling with learned that I am married, bringing up a conversation about family values. "I would never disrespect my wife by failing to call in advance and tell her I am coming home, so that she has the opportunity to tidy up and prepare for my arrival" "I would never humiliate my wife by failing to provide, to the point that she feels like she needs to work as well!" These are some of the gendered sentiments that were reflected in the group. According to Canadas Feminist International Assistance Policy, all International Development/Aid projects funded by Canadian public resources must place gender equality at the center of poverty eradication and peacebuilding efforts. I am challenged to reflect on how international aid efforts create ideological barriers to funding access - as demonstrated in our feminist/liberal International Assistance Policy or, alternatively, Policies championed by conservative group Family Watch International (as well as the policies of other governments/initiatives around the world). Check out this UNRISD Working Paper on "Understanding the Rise of Anti-Gender Discourses in the Context of Development, Human Rights and Social Protection" for the current UN stance on the topic. "Suggesting that the pursuit of gender equality and LGBTIQ+ rights is a uniquely Western/Global North preoccupation is to deny the colonial legacies that may underpin the continued denial of these rights."

🌈 **Today is International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT).** (It's a crucial day for reflection and action.) The fight against discrimination is far from over. Millions worldwide still face prejudice simply for being themselves. **Here are some startling facts:** 1. **Criminalization**: ↳ Around the world, 67 countries still criminalize same-sex relationships, with 10 imposing the death penalty [oai_citation:1,UN marks International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia | UN News](https://lnkd.in/gUiNA5rF) [oai_citation:2,International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia 2023](https://lnkd.in/gHrknw6G). 2. **Violence and Discrimination**: ↳ In some countries, up to 85% of LGBTQ+ students experience homophobic and transphobic violence at school [oai_citation:3,Report shows homophobic and transphobic violence in education to be a global problem | UNESCO](https://lnkd.in/g-UG_jni). 3. **Legal Progress**: ↳ From 1990 to 2023, the number of countries criminalizing private, consensual same-sex relationships decreased from 113 to 64 [oai_citation:4,International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT) | United Nations Development Programme](https://lnkd.in/gJAJkfjT). **Here's how we can make a difference:** 1. **Educate Yourself and Others** ↳ Understand the struggles the LGBTQ+ community faces. ↳ Share this knowledge to foster empathy and allyship. 2. **Speak Up Against Discrimination** ↳ Silence can be interpreted as acceptance. ↳ Use your voice to challenge homophobia, biphobia, and transphobia whenever you encounter it. 3. **Support LGBTQ+ Organizations** ↳ Donate, volunteer, or amplify their messages. ↳ These organizations are on the front lines of creating safer, more inclusive communities. 4. **Be an Active Ally** ↳ Stand by your LGBTQ+ friends, colleagues, and family members. ↳ Show your support in both public and private settings. **We all have a role to play.** This isn't just an LGBTQ+ issue; it's a human rights issue. Let’s work together to build a world where everyone is free to be who they are without fear. P.S. What's one action you'll take today to support the LGBTQ+ community? Comment below. ♻️ **Repost this to spread awareness. Thank you!**

Interesting and important read! This CNN article investigates the growing anti-gender and anti-rights movements across the globe, how they are connected and the financial flows. The hard-won fights for women’s rights, gender equality and LGBTQI+ rights are being challenged and pushed back. The movements are not one, but they all see gender as something dangerous, challenging the structure of society and the traditional social units, the traditional family, led by the husband. So, in other words challenging the patriarchal order of society. Their narrative often is in the lines of - gender ideology is threatening family values, and a strong family is a strong nation. But in fact, it is threatening the freedom and human rights for all, and democratic values. Happy to see that the article refers to our Kvinna till Kvinna latest State of Women Human Rights Defenders report which confirms growing threats against women human rights defender and that the threats increasingly comes from their own government. Read more about the findings here: https://lnkd.in/d2Js5uMx https://lnkd.in/dGAMdmPv

It was a great honor to be in Cotonou, Benin Republic as a facilitator for the AGCS PLUS+ colloquium to renew strategies against growing homophobia in the global South. In the face of geopolitical turmoil, rising conservatism and populist rhetorics that stigmatise sexual and gender minorities, advocates need to rethink their strategies. On this #humanrightsday2024 we note that many of the paradigms we took for granted are no longer true, legal protections for minorities are being eroded, global health solidarity is weakened and inequalities are widening. Leaders from marginalised communities in the global South need to forge new solidarities, #LGBTQ advocates remain a key vehicle to secure hard fought gains in the areas of health and gender equality.Responding to state sponsored homophobia and transphobia requires political advocacy approaches. The three-day colloquium was a watershed moment, it provided hope for an era of new thinking, new alliances and radical shifts from approaches of the past.