The human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals and communities are undermined and violated daily. Discrimination and stigmatization of LGBTI individuals and organizations cross-cuts and compounds other forms of discrimination based on economic conditions, education, gender, race, ethnicity, age, and disability. Violent persecution—often in the name of “traditional” values, culture, and religion—is fueling a worldwide human rights emergency for the LGBTI community.

In 2006, Global Rights launched our LGBTI Initiative through our human rights programs and field offices worldwide, as well as through our dedicated field office in Nigeria. With this endeavor, we extend support to LGBTI and mainstream human rights activists to expose abuses directed against individuals based on their real or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. By documenting and denouncing abuses—which are too often ignored within the prevailing human rights discourse—Global Rights joins an international coalition of NGOs working in concert to expand the reach and effectiveness of existing human rights protections for LGBTI individuals. 

As sustainability is the cornerstone of our work, Global Rights works to strengthen the role of civil society in national, regional, and international advocacy for the promotion and protection of human rights for LGBTI individuals. We work with local partners, enabling them to participate in the political decision-making process and to advocate for their rights with regional and international human rights institutions such as the Organization of American States (OAS) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR). Advocacy at the international level also encompasses working with our partners to write and submit shadow reports to the United Nations Human Rights Committee (UNHRC). Through our new Commonwealth Project, Global Rights is  working with members of the Commonwealth of Nations—a cross-regional network of member states mainly comprising former British colonies—to assist partners throughout Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean to share and implement country-specific strategies addressing the negative impacts of legislation criminalizing non-normative sexual or gender expression or behaviors.

The added value of Global Rights’ LGBTI Initiative is related to the particular structure and mission of the organization: our country/region-based structure and deep connections to civil society in all contexts in which we operate allow us to play a pivotal role in connecting LGBTI and sexual rights activists to the human rights mainstream.