How we work

Donor Coordination

Donor Coordination

Funding to advance the human rights of LGBTI persons remains highly limited.

Overview

The Global Philanthropy Project (GPP) reported that in the two-year period of 2017 and 2018, global philanthropic funding for LGBTI issues totaled more than $560 million. Whilst this is an increase of 11% compared to 2016-16, in 2017-18 global LGBTI foundation funding made up less than 0.31% of overall global foundation funding, and global LGBTI funding from donor governments made up less than 0.04% of international development efforts and assistance.

The ways in which funding is provided also pose challenges. Funding from both private and public donors is most frequently provided through intermediary organizations in the Global North. While some donors indicate that this is needed for the purposes of accountability, and in part as a result of legal restrictions, the use of intermediaries often poses challenges for local organizations, including burdensome reporting and administrative requirements. These challenges are experienced in an increasingly polarized global context, characterized by significant restrictions on civil society and negative political rhetoric that presents LGBTI rights as ‘western,’ ‘foreign’ and incompatible with local or regional values.

At the same time, the LGBTI rights movement in a number of regions is growing stronger and achieving positive results, such as affirmative court decisions, changing laws, and increased acceptance and awareness. Donor funding should amplify and sustain this momentum – in a way that is closely linked to and supportive of priorities identified by LGBTI movements, themselves.

The Donor Coordination group focuses on:

  • Increasing the level of funding in support of work to promote and protect LGBTI persons.
  • Integrating the needs of LGBTI persons into development programming and different aspects of diplomacy;
  • Promoting flexible and timely support to civil society organizations;
  • Ensuring assistance and diplomacy efforts are guided on the basis of need;
  • Abiding closely to the principle of “do no harm” and working in close collaboration and consultation with civil society organizations.
  • Encouraging transparency of funding and funding mechanisms, without compromising security of grantees.
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Webinar

Banning So-Called ‘Conversion Therapies’

09 April 2024

Webinar

Eliminating Harmful Practices against and Promoting Human Rights Protection of Intersex People

29 September 2023

Webinar

Using CEDAW to pursue the decriminalisation of LBTQ people: promising avenues and developments

12 June 2023

report

Buenos Aires 2022 Conference Report

30 November 2022

report

ERC Pre-Conference Report 2022

08 September 2022

Research Briefing

Anti-Gender Movement Background Paper

08 September 2022

Statement

Statement on the Legalization of Same-Sex Marriage in Thailand by the Co-chairs on behalf of the Equal Rights Coalition

10 July 2024

Statement

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia 2024: Declaration by the Co-chairs on behalf of the Equal Rights Coalition

14 May 2024

Declaration

Equal Rights Coalition launches its Secretariat, hosted by ILGA World

08 May 2024

Statement

ERC statement on the legalization of Same-Sex Marriage and Homoparental Adoption in Greece

26 February 2024

Statement

Statement by the Equal Rights Coalition on the Russian Supreme Court judgment infringing LGBTIQ+ people’s basic human rights 

18 December 2023

Statement

ERC statement on the decriminalization of same-sex activity between men in Mauritius

17 October 2023