Astraea International Fund Grants
Pembe Hayat members march for trans rights in Turkey. Photo courtesy of Pembe HayatThis year, Astraea’s International Fund reached activists in twenty countries around the world seeking changes in policy, public opinion and safety for LGBTI people. In order to ensure that groundbreaking groups in countries from Ecuador to India can move to the next level in their strategies and plans, Astraea invested in larger, capacity-building grants that provide support over multiple years. A total of $326,000 was granted to 24 organizations. The majority of grants were for general support, flexible funds that are essential to respond to emerging opportunities and to keep the lights on.
Ending Hate Violence
Astraea has been increasingly concerned about growing hate-motivated violence against LGBTI communities globally. Many of this year’s grantee partners are working to stem the tide. The overturn of India’s colonial law criminalizing same-sex relations, a significant victory, has been met with an increase in violence against those perceived to be transgressing sexual or gender norms. Sappho for Equality has stepped in with education for families, short films, self-defense classes and research to document the violence. To curtail the frightening trend of “corrective rape” in South Africa, Forum for the Empowerment of Women is launching a project in schools to educate both students and teachers. Across continents, one of the communities hardest hit by violence and discrimination are trans people, and many of the groups Astraea supported this year are working to alleviate these conditions. Human rights monitoring, training of officials, and economic advocacy are frequently deployed.
Secular Answers to Religious Fundamentalism
Grantee partners from Hong Kong to Honduras to Indonesia to Turkey are contending with the intrusion of fundamentalist ideology into state affairs, civil society and community life. Groups are combining sexual rights and gender justice advocacy with efforts to develop or restore a secular society. The goal of broad social change aligns them with human rights and progressive organizations, resulting in collaborations that strengthen both movements. For example, in Nicaragua, Groupo Safo is working with leaders of other social movements to counter the growing hold of Christian fundamentalism in the country, and has successfully advocated for progressive organizations to include LGBTI rights in their work. In the Philippines, GALANG links class, gender and sexuality issues in their work on employment and healthcare access for low-income LBT women.
Human Rights Standards and Political Opportunities
Astraea grantee partners are practiced at using human rights standards and seizing political opportunities. This year, Astraea supported United and Strong in St. Lucia, which earned the attention and respect of their country by producing the island nation’s only shadow report to the United Nations. The report highlighted broad human rights issues, including those facing LGBTI people. To seize political opportunities in Latin America, grantee partners in Peru and Guatemala are taking advantage of the election season to present policy goals to candidates deeply engaged in drumming up support. Two grantee partners in Ecuador are using protections in the new constitution to fight forced hospitalization of young women for their lesbian identity or gender expression.
International Annual Fund Grantee Partners
- Arus Pelangi
Jakarta Selatan, Indonesia
$10,000 - Chinese Lala Alliance
Shanghai, China
$10,000 - Colectivo de Investigación Acción en Derechos Trans - Familia Galán
La Paz, Bolivia
$20,000 - Collectif Arc-En-Ciel
Belle Rose, Quatre Bornes, Republic of Mauritius
$6,000 - Corporación Promoción de la Mujer/Taller de Comunicación Mujer
Quito, Ecuador
$10,000 - Forum for the Empowerment of Women
Johannesburg, South Africa
$10,000 - Fundación de Desarrollo Humano Integral CAUSANA
Quito, Ecuador
$20,000 - GALANG—Gay and Lesbian Activist Network for Gender Equality
CITY, Philippines
$10,000 - Gayten LGBT - Center for the Promotion of LGBTIQ Human Rights
Belgrade, Serbia
$20,000 - Grupo Latinoamericano de Estudio Formación y Acción en Sexualidades, Género y Cultura
(GLEFAS)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
$10,000 - Grupo Safo
Managua, Nicaragua
$20,000 - Lesbianas Independientes Feministas y Socialistas
Lima, Perú
$20,000 - Mulabi – Espacio Latinoamericano de Sexualidades y Derechos
Guadalupe, Costa Rica
$20,000 - Nutongxueshe (NTXS)
Hong Kong, China
$20,000 - OTRANS Reinas de la Noche
Guatemala City, Guatemala
$20,000 - Pembe Hayat LGBTT
Ankara, Turkey
$10,000 - Queer Leaders Forum (QLF)
Bratislava, Slovakia
$10,000 - Red Lésbica "CATTRACHAS"
Tegucigalpa, Honduras
$10,000 - Santamaria Fundacion GLTB
Cali, Colombia
$10,000 - Shanghai Nvai Lesbian Group
Shanghai, China
$10,000 - Sappho for Equality
Kolkata, India
$20,000 - Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy
Taipei, Taiwan
$10,000 - United and Strong
Castries, St. Lucia
$10,000 - Youths 2Gether Network (Y2N)
Ekpoma, Nigeria
$10,000
