Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ+) civil rights organization, announced the 25 organizations awarded with Global Innovation Small Grants as an initiative of HRCF’s Global Partnerships Program. This year’s small grants program is once again made possible through the generous support of ADM. The grant recipients, from 24 different countries, will receive grants up to $5,000, and all share one common goal: to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people in their communities.

Grants were awarded to programs in a variety of categories, including but not limited to projects that focus on: providing support services for LGBTQ+ refugees, promoting and securing the rights of LBTQ women, and supporting LGBTQ+ youth in countries where they face the most marginalization. All grant recipients were selected from HRC’s Global Alumni Network, which now consists of over 200 LGBTQ+ advocates in over 100 countries. All participants have participated in one of the HRC Foundation’s global programs, including the annual Innovative Global Advocacy Summit.

This year’s awardees include: Derechos Humanos y Diversidad Asociación Civil (Argentina), Right Side Human Rights Defender NGO (Armenia), Youth LGBT organization Deystvie (Bulgaria), CamASEAN Youth's Future (Cambodia), Anonymous Organization (China), Sergio Urrego Foundation (Colombia), Transparent (Czech Republic), LA COLOMBE Pride ASBL (Democratic Republic of Congo), Estonian Trans Alliance (Estonia), The Mediators Foundation (Ghana), Transgender Equality Hong Kong (Hong Kong), JEJAKA (Malaysia), Ledeser AC (Mexico), South Trans Voice (Morocco), Equal Namibia (Namibia), Initiative for Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights Awareness (Nigeria), PFLAG Panama (Panama), Más Igualdad Perú (Perú), XY Spectrum (Serbia), LighT (Central Asia), Bridge Initiative Organisation (Tanzania), ÜniKuir (Turkiye), Queer Youth Uganda (Uganda), Icebreakers Uganda (Uganda), and Women's Alliance for Equality (Zambia).

Among the countries represented, eight have same-sex criminalization statute, and it is still illegal to engage in consensual same-sex sexual relations. In many others, openly identifying as LGBTQ+ can lead to ostracization, discrimination, and violence. For this reason, some grantees have chosen to remain anonymous.

The Global Partnerships Program at the HRC Foundation leverages HRC’s resources and expertise to support and strengthen the global movement for equality. To learn more about our innovative work around the world, visit https://www.hrc.org/global.