Outright International and Alliance for Global Equality Renew Quest for LGBTIQ Rights

New York, New York - March 23, 2023 (edited January 8, 2024) - Outright International and its partners are pleased to announce the launch of the Alliance for Global Equality, a five-year program to strengthen the resilience of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) global movements. The program is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Oak Foundation, Dreilinden, and other donors.

A unique collaboration among Outright International and the LGBTQ+ Victory Institute, the Alliance will advance long-lasting social and economic change for the LGBTIQ community in more than 15 countries through robust grantmaking and technical support. Additionally, the Alliance will build partnerships with country-level civil society organizations and community-based organizations to better equip them to advance social change for LGBTIQ people.

Global efforts to advance LGBTIQ equality have been particularly hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic and a continued rise in anti-rights movements and authoritarianism. The geopolitical landscape has worsened unemployment rates, food insecurity, political and social exclusion, and has reduced access to services and civic spaces. 

“The launch of the Alliance for Global Equality comes at a time when backlash against our communities around the globe is growing,” noted Maria Sjödin, Executive Director of Outright International. “It is critical that we accelerate the availability of resources both in countries where LGBTIQ civil society is under increasing pressure, as well as where clear progress is being made so that momentum can be maintained.”

USAID Senior LGBTQI+ Coordinator Jay Gilliam noted, “Our Agency is proud to support the Alliance for Global Equality, which builds on USAID’s LGBTQI+ inclusive development work.” He went on to say, “Through the Alliance, USAID is furthering efforts to ensure LGBTQI+ persons can help transform their own societies, from living with dignity to participating in civic life to accessing sustainable livelihoods and social services.”

The Alliance has three objectives: 

• Strengthen the global LGBTIQ movement infrastructure through direct support to LGBTIQ organizations.
• Better equip social leaders to advance the dignity and human rights of LGBTIQ people. 
• Form networks of key civil society, governmental, and faith-based stakeholders to foster social change.

The Alliance’s activities will be implemented largely through grants to local partners; 25 percent of the grants will be awarded to groups that are led by intersex and transgender individuals.

Others who may qualify for grants include groups that:

• Are led by and for LGBTIQ communities
• Have active participation and leadership from the communities they work with and represent
• Are inclusive and reflect the diversity of the geographic region in which they work
• Develop leadership and build the capacity of LGBTIQ people and communities to achieve positive social change
• Submit proposals that effectively respond to the objectives of the call for proposals and are likely to achieve the results envisioned

Capacity-building and strengthening activities will be defined based on the partners’ needs and priorities. 

Alliance for Global Equality Partners: 

Outright International works with partners around the globe to strengthen the capacity of the LGBTIQ human rights movement, document and amplify human rights violations, and advocate for inclusion and equality. Founded in 1990, with staff in over a dozen countries, Outright works with the United Nations, regional human rights monitoring bodies, and civil society partners. Outright holds consultative status at the United Nations, where it serves as the secretariat of the UN LGBTI Core Group.

LGBTQ+ Victory Institute works to achieve and sustain global equality through leadership development, training, and convening to increase the number, expand the diversity, and ensure the success of openly LGBTQ elected and appointed officials at all levels of government.

More information is available on USAID’s website.  

The Alliance can be contacted through Outright International, at alliance@outrightinternational.org