The COVID-19crisis is generating complex challenges for the day-to-day work of LGBTI activist organisations, while it has become clear the global reaction to the virus is hitting marginalised communities disproportionally hard. ILGA-Europe’s three part plan seeks to help LGBTI organisations navigate and adapt to a constantly changing landscape, and work towards the time when the immediate crisis has passed.
The human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people must continue to advance, despite this time of unprecedented turbulence for the world, and in particular, we must pay attention to people on the intersections in our communities who are particularly affected. With this in mind, the work at ILGA-Europe is adapting and carrying on. We continue to be committed to our members, to the movement, and to the purpose of the work that needs to be done.
The LGBTI movement is strong, deeply connected and has much learning that can help the world at this time. We have the resilience, creativity, and solidarity to strengthen society’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and together create a better world for all of us on the other side.
This is ILGA-Europe’s plan to support our movement through this crisis :
1. Protect
We are already seeing the impact of the crisis on people who are underprivileged or marginalised. Our first priority is to support LGBTI groups looking after their communities by:
? Supporting organisations to support and protect LGBTI communities through these times
? Providing advice and resources on communicating clearly during crisis
? Providing advice and resources on effective financial management through the crisis
? Role modelling best practice in funder flexibility for groups at financial risk through our regranting
? Continuing to carry out our important monitoring, documentation and advocacy work to protect LGBTI people in Europe and Central Asia, including specific assessment of the impact and challenges of the pandemic for our members and the community
2. Adapt
Our working principle is to adapt to new working situations and conditions and to the new needs of the LGBTI community which arise as the COVID-19 crisis continues and beyond. We will support LGBTI groups to adapt to this new and unprecedented situation by:
? Advising on transitioning to remote communication, campaigning and organising
? Providing tech support and training on digital tools, online security and privacy
? Programmatic advice on how to adapt your strategy and activities to the new reality
? Offering advice on how to change advocacy focus and strategies to adapt to the current situation
3. Rally
When the unimaginable happens, it forces all of us to reimagine how the world could work. We can change the way the world sees LGBTI people, our rights and our place in society. We will first work on protection and adaption — then, in a few weeks from now, we hope to continue our journey with you to…
? Work on reframing equality in the current context
? Access funding for emerging needs
? Strategise for effective online campaigning
? Find new ways to effectively rally and campaign online
? Explore and provide new ways for the movement to come together to learn from each other and mutually support
? Strengthen the intersectional lens in all our advocacy work even more, ensuring we tackle the inequality crisis we are facing and including the most marginalised of our communities
