Programs

This project will deepen and disseminate evidence on the economic profile of LGBTI people in Angola. It builds on a 2024 quantitative study led by the applicant in partnership with Arquivo de Identidade Angolano (AIA) and funded by the International Association for Feminist Economics, which surveyed 249 LGBTI respondents. Implemented as a participatory initiative with AIA involved in research design, implementation, and dissemination, the project will 1) extend the statistical analysis of the existing dataset, including cross-tabulations to produce disaggregated findings on economic conditions and discrimination among transgender and gender-non-conforming respondents; 2) address the negligible intersex representation in the baseline survey through targeted qualitative follow-up; and 3) generate new qualitative evidence through interviews and focus group discussions with LGBTI activists, professionals, and entrepreneurs to enrich interpretation and strengthen policy and program recommendations.

This project examines how the criminalization of consensual same-sex relations under Article 120 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code undermines the absolute, non-derogable right to be free from torture. It aims to document patterns of torture, degrading treatment, and arbitrary detention of LGBTIQ+ persons linked to Article 120 and to analyze how institutionalized discrimination facilitates these violations. Key research questions include: How does Article 120 enable or justify torture and ill-treatment of LGBTIQ+ individuals? In what ways does criminalization impede access to justice and accountability? How can empirical evidence strengthen advocacy for compliance with the Convention against Torture and for the repeal of Article 120?

This project examines Al-Qasr Al-Aini, Egypt’s only facility for diagnosing gender dysphoria, to reveal its role in a state-sanctioned “transition trap.” Drawing on internal pilot data (n=9), this study highlights the implications of Egypt’s prohibition on gender-affirming healthcare. Specifically, we aim to:

• Document Operational Violence: Assess compliance with the “Right to Health” concerning capacity limitations (30-40 patients per month) and dehumanizing treatment practices (e.g., misgendering).
• Analyze the “Useless Report”: Investigate the effectiveness of the mandatory 12-month report, which patients argue absolves medical practitioners of responsibility while failing to provide referrals for hormone therapy or surgical intervention.
• Investigate the “Transition Trap”: Explore the paradox in which state-sanctioned medical professionals pressure patients to socially transition to obtain a diagnosis, while the state simultaneously criminalizes such expressions.

This project examines how Afro-descendant (or Black in US parlance) and Indigenous LGBTI+ people have experienced Colombia’s armed conflict in Tumaco, on the country’s Pacific coast. Although violence against LGBTI+ populations in Colombia has been widely recognized, there has been little empirical analysis of how ethnicity and SOGIESC intersect to shape conflict experiences. This gap is particularly stark on the country’s Pacific coast, a largely racialized region that has been marginalized by the state despite its pervasive poverty and persistent role in the country’s civil war.

This study centers Black and Indigenous LGBTI+ voices to address that gap. The research asks how conflict-related violence has been experienced by Black and Indigenous LGBTI+ individuals in Tumaco. We will also document a unique aspect of this population: their use of cultural practices not only as forms of resistance (common in Colombia) but also as forms of protection (uncommon).

Ecuador is one of the first countries to collect population-level data on sexual and gender-diverse people (LGBTQ+ groups). Our study aims to evaluate the 2021 Population and Housing Census in terms of its development, methodology, and implementation. More specifically, we are interested in understanding how and why the survey methodology incorporated LGBTQ+ groups, how it fails to capture its intended participants, and in developing recommendations to enhance census instruments and protocols for future use. In addition, the study will assess how census data reflect the lived realities of LGBTQI+ populations and ensure that national surveys capture their lives and subjectivities as accurately as possible.

The Rainbow Parents Project will investigate the barriers and facilitators to supportive parenting of Namibian LGBTQ+ youth. Research finds positive family reactions, support, and acceptance of LGBTQ+ youth can lead to better mental health outcomes and reduced minority stress (Clark, 2022; Katz-Wise, 2016; Ryan, 2010). Therefore, identifying barriers and facilitators to parental support is key to strengthening LGBTQ+ health and well-being.

This project will ask the following questions: 1) What daily obstacles do parents face when parenting an LGBTQ+ child in Namibia? 2) What is the level of understanding among parents about their LGBTQ+ child’s rights and protections? 3) What formal or informal support systems, if any, exist for parents of LGBTQ+ children? 4) How do parents of LGBTQ+ children experience resilience in the face of a changing legal and policy environment toward LGBTQ+ rights? 5) How do parents from different cultural backgrounds experience parenting of LGBTQ+ children differently?