Strengthening the capacity of LGBTIQ+ movements in Armenia and Ukraine

This initiative was supported by The New Democracy Fund through the New Cooperation Fund.

About the project

The project aims at strengthening partnerships and initiating dialogues between LGBTIQ+ civil society organisations in Armenia, Denmark, and Ukraine to contribute to the improvement of personal self-efficacy and broader LGBTIQ+ rights in Armenia and Ukraine. This will be achieved through the establishment of an LGBTIQ+ community centre in rural Armenia including the provision of services, social activities, workshops, and capacity building for LGBTIQ+ community members and human rights organisations. The activities will contribute to greater involvement of rural LGBTIQ+ voices and this is further supported through study visits to learn from each other across regions in Armenia.

In Ukraine, this intervention aims to map and better understand the LGBTIQ+ civil society landscape alongside key stakeholders, its context, strength and needs with an aim to facilitate closer collaborations between LGBTIQ+ and youth movements.

Since the full escalation of war made LGBTQI+ people have had no choice but to leave their homes searching for safe spaces, the project pays special attention to the IDPs fleeing, in finding new communities as well as supporting LGBTQI+ activists who assist in these essential humanitarian actions.

To further support joint learning and sharing, this intervention will conduct a SOGIESC workshop (sexual orientation, gender identity and/ or gender) for members, whilst in turn facilitating cooperation of the Eastern European Coalition for LGBT+ Equality.

About the organisations

LGBT+ Denmark, The Danish national organisation for lesbian, gay, bi/pansexual, transgender and queer people is an NGO working with SOGIESC rights at all levels (local, national, regional, and international). In Denmark, it aims at influencing the political agenda concerning development cooperation, that is, putting LGBTIQ+ issues on the agenda of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NGOs working with development through workshops, participation in public debates and engaging in concrete projects.

Pink Armenia is an Armenian community based LGBTIQ+ organisation founded in 2007. Their vision is a society where human rights of all are protected and everybody is accepted regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity and/ or gender expression (SOGIE). PA creates safe spaces for LGBTIQ+ persons by promoting well-being and protection in all spheres of life, which includes health care awareness and service provision, including sexual reproductive health and rights, human rights protection, including legal aid, and community centres as physical safe space.

STAN The Youth organisation STAN is a Ukrainian non-governmental organisation which utilises grassroots methods of informal education, local initiatives, and active citizenship, with a particular focus on vulnerable and marginalised groups. Driven by the core values of freedom, respect for human dignity, mutual assistance, and diversity of cultures and mindsets, the team of STAN strives to build up a creative civil society in Ukraine.

Project details