An Open Letter to World Leaders

By UUA International Resources

Calling to end pushing LGBTIs into double victimization!
  • First, donors do not fund LGBTI support programs (except few exceptions over the recent years and its too little).
  • Second, donors continue funding governments ignoring their human rights violations against LGBTIs.
As an example following are the areas that USAID and Department of State budget provide foreign aid to other countries: Peace and Security, Counter-Terrorism, Combating WMD, Stabilization/Security Sector Reform, Counter-narcotics, Transnational Crime, Conflict Mitigation, Investing in People, Health, Education, Social Services/Protection of Vulnerable, Governing Justly & Democratically, Rule of Law & Human Rights, Good Governance, Political Competition, Civil Society, Economic Growth, Macroeconomic Growth, Trade & Investment, Financial Sector, Infrastructure, Agriculture, Private Sector Competitiveness, Economic Opportunity, Environment, Humanitarian Assistance, Protection, Assistance & Solutions, Disaster Readiness, Migration Management . These are similar areas by other governments, UK, EU, Canada, Australia, UN, World Bank and other international institutions provide foreign Aid or loan for ‘good’ cause. What should the donors do? Many areas of the Aid (for example Peace and Security, Counter-Terrorism, Combating WMD, Stabilization/Security Sector Reform, Counter-narcotics, Transnational Crime, Conflict Mitigation, ….etc. ) must be stopped if a recipient government has bad human rights track record including oppressing, criminalizing and demonizing any sections of populations including LGBTIs. Some areas of aid (like treatment to PLHIV, maternity health, girl/children education, etc.) should continue but Aid or Loan must continue with formed commitment to improve the human rights records with measurable outputs and times. Also make sure that the essential humanitarians types of Aid or Loan are not misused and costing to humanity. If any recipient government/s have bad track record on human rights, the donors must hold the particular government/s accountable so that ‘universality of the human rights’ are promoted and protected, donors must not have double standard on their human rights stand as well as providing foreign AID ‘principle and practice’ along. Donors must not continue to put LGBTI into double victimization. How its happening now? Eighty-three countries and territories criminalize lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) behavior, seven of which may impose the death penalty for same-sex relations. Yet, it is estimated that LGBTI people receive less than one-one hundredth of 1 percent of all development funding. Lack of support from donors countries to LGBTI (rights, wellbeing and development), We (many LGBTI) can not do much to change the legal, political, cultural, economical situations in the country which are so devastating to LGBTIs. In contrary the oppressive government/s continue receiving funds without being held accountable on their human rights violation against LGBTIs. I like to call donors to make category (ideally into 3) areas of their support from their foreign aid or loan of which they, a) ‘must’ continue fund regardless of the situations (humanitarians ones in an emergency); b) fund to those programs (education, health, treatment of PLHIV, food aid in food crisis situation etc.) with strong conditions (have measurable output with timeline) to improve human rights for all (including LGBTI); and c) funding those areas (like democracy, election, police training, governance, military aid (in fact all military aid must be banned internationally), etc.) only after they have good human rights record, laws that guarantees non discrimination and freedom. I urge donors, UN, Banks and other international institutions to stop putting LGBTI into double victimization. Give a serious look at your Aid figures (to LGBTIs), revisit your funding policies, revisit your relationship to those governments who violates human rights. Thank you. Sunil Pant Nepal -- Sunil Babu Pant is the first openly gay politician in Nepal. He is one of five members from the CPN in the constituent assembly, and is also head of the Blue Diamond Society, the only gay rights group in Nepal. He also heads an LGBT-positive travel agency, Pink Mountains, which provides honeymoon packages for LGBT tourists from abroad. Related Posts Val Kalende describes the LGBTQIA situation in Uganda Basic Freedoms in a Homophobic World

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UUA International Resources

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