Launched in 2011 by the U.S. Department of State, the Global Equality Fund (GEF) is a private-public initiative to support gay rights advocates around the world and to empower Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) persons to live freely and exercise their rights without fear of discrimination or abuse.
Since 2011, through the fund, the U.S. government has spent USD$30 million to expand access to health care, legal reforms and police education abroad.
The GEF currently provides resources and diplomatic support to civil society organizations (CSOs) and human rights defenders working to advance and protect the rights of LGBTI persons in over eighty countries.
The GEF has published its Annual Report 2015, which is now available for download.
PGA is proud to have contributed to the publication of this report. Through its geographically-diverse membership and its commitment to human rights, PGA has been able to bridge cultural and national divides to frame the discussion of LGBTI rights as a human rights issue encouraging parliamentarians to address the needs and challenges of this community.
PGA expects that greater understanding about sexual orientation and gender identity will empower its members to take action to address and eliminate discriminatory laws and practices in those countries where these still exist. Through support from the GEF, PGA has collaborated closely with LGBTI civil society organizations to design local actions and has facilitated meaningful interactions between LGBTI activists and parliamentarians at the national and regional level.
We are making history with this project. This is the first time that, in many countries, parliamentarians are beginning to discuss LGBTI rights. We ought to continue these dialogues to make sure everyone’s human rights are promoted and protected. Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal
PGA President
I want to thank the Fund’s partners who have devoted time and resources to this worthy cause, and I commend all those who, day after day, have been working tirelessly to protect and defend the rights of LGBTI persons. Most of all, I want to emphasize that our work is far from done.
The walls of ignorance and bigotry remain far too high. I call on all who value dignity and equality to join this global alliance. Only by working together can we ensure that everyone, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, is afforded the dignity, the freedom, and the equality that all persons everywhere deserve. Secretary John F. Kerry
Secretary of State, United States of America
