Grassroots LGBT+ organisations in the Global South and East to receive £25m from a new UK fund over the next four years

The Baring Foundation is pleased to announce a new UK-led multi-donor fund to support grassroots organisations supporting LGBTI communities in the Global South and East.

Equal, Safe and Free: a partnership fund for LGBT+ rights will be the first fund of its kind for the FCDO (UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office), delivered through an innovative multi-donor model, with in principle commitments from leading private foundations, including: The Baring Foundation, The Oak Foundation, The Foundation for a Just Society and The Foundation for a Just Society International.

Conditions for LGBT+ communities in some parts of the world, including in sub-Saharan Africa where the Baring Foundation has focused its funding, have become increasingly hostile over the last few years. This includes the roll-back of established rights, state-perpetrated and interpersonal violence and increased risk of social and economic exclusion.

Worth an initial £25 million over four years, Equal, Safe and Free (ESF) will focus on four objectives:

• a reduction in the violence, discrimination and stigma experienced by LGBT+ people throughout society.
• upholding and advancing human rights compliant laws and policies that protect LGBT+ people.
• ensuring equal access to public services including health, educational, water, sanitation and promoting economic inclusion.
• progressive change in social and cultural norms.

The geographic focus of the ESF will be sub-Saharan Africa, alongside a developing focus on the Caribbean and the Pacific Islands.

Crucially, ESF will give the majority of its funds to grassroots civil society organisations via Regional Funding Schemes. These organisations are pioneers in participatory grant-making approaches, which put LGBT+ communities at the centre of grant-making processes, in which they decide on local priorities for support.

David Sampson, Deputy Director of the Baring Foundation, says:

“The Baring Foundation is delighted to be a partner in this vital new fund. LGBTI movements in the Global South and East although vibrant are severely under-resourced, particularly in contexts of worsening political hostility and repression.

Equal, Safe and Free will represent a very welcome 25% increase in funding for LGBTI issues in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and Oceania compared to 2019/20.

However, funding remains insufficient to meet the needs of LGBTI communities in these regions, and we look forward to encouraging and working with other donors to fund in this space in the future.”

ESF was announced at a summit held on 22^nd November by the UK Minister of State for Development and Africa, Rt Hon. Andrew Mitchell. The summit was hosted by GiveOut and the Baring Foundation.

A new research report on UK giving to the global LGBTI movement was also launched at the event, researched by Cat Walker (The Researchery) and produced  by GiveOut.

Equal, Safe and Free is currently open for applications from eligible organisations until 12 February 2024. You can find out more on the .Gov website.