Trans Youth Initiative Uganda Statement

On May 29, 2023, a significant setback occurred for the transgender and gender diverse community in Uganda when President Museveni signed the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 into law. The Act, which had been initially passed by parliament on March 21, 2023, was subsequently returned to the house by President Museveni. Despite his initial request for reconsideration, the revised version of the legislation, passed by Parliament on May 2, 2023, retained numerous oppressive provisions, including severe punishments such as life imprisonment or even death. This Act criminalizes any sexual acts between adults of the same biological sex, posing a significant risk to transgender and gender-diverse individuals in Uganda, many of whom have only undergone social transition and are particularly vulnerable to hate crimes, violence, and harassment.

The law also criminalizes advocacy for LGBTQ+ rights, thereby posing a threat to organizations engaged in trans human rights advocacy or health assistance programs. As TYI-Uganda, we are deeply concerned about the devastating impact that this Act has already had on trans and gender diverse people. The majority of those who have socially transitioned or are on hormonal replacement therapy are currently living in fear and hiding, with some even facing eviction from their homes.

There have been documented cases of arrests targeting trans women, collective rape of trans men, job losses (especially among trans women involved in sex work), and mob justice against trans people whose gender expression aligns with stereotypes associated with homosexuality. The anti-LGBTIQ rhetoric surrounding this legislation has also contributed to increased rates of depression, anxiety, and stress, significantly affecting the mental health and wellbeing of transgender and gender diverse individuals.

As the face of the LGBTQ+ movement in Uganda, transgender and gender diverse people are vulnerable to violence because the majority of Ugandans lack an understanding of gender identity. This legislation poses a significant threat to our existence and violates our constitutional liberties.

The Act not only further entrenches discrimination and violence against the transgender and gender diverse community but also impedes access to crucial services such as healthcare, housing, education, participation in sports activities, employment, and freedom of association. Numerous organizations that had been providing essential support, including healthcare, mental health services, and legal assistance to trans and gender diverse individuals, have already been forced to close due to the dire situation. The assent of this Act has only exacerbated the already precarious human rights situation of the transgender and gender diverse communities across the country.

As a community, transgender and gender diverse people in Uganda assert our right to equality and freedom from discrimination, as well as our right to privacy, dignity, and respect. The proposed legislation will not silence our voices, and we will continue to fight for our rights and visibility.

At TYI-Uganda, our commitment to justice and equality remains steadfast, even in the face of adversity. This proposed legislation will not silence us; we will continue to be resolute in our determination to tirelessly advocate for the rights and well-being of the transgender and gender diverse community in Uganda. Our goal to promote inclusivity, acceptance, and respect drives us forward, despite the challenges we may encounter. We firmly believe that every individual deserves to live a life free from discrimination, fear, and prejudice.

We stand in solidarity with all transgender and gender diverse people in Uganda and around the world. Together, we will continue to work diligently to raise awareness, provide support, and fight for the rights of transgender and gender diverse individuals in Uganda.

We call on partners and allies to acknowledge and support the unique challenges transgender individuals and communities confront.

We invite all allies and partners to join us in this crucial fight. We require your participation in our struggle for equality and justice. Together, we can create a more inclusive, tolerant, and accepting Uganda, where everyone is free to express themselves without fear of discrimination or violence.

Statement from KyivPride

International Trans Fund stands in solidarity with people affected by the war in Ukraine. We are sharing a statement from KyivPride, a Ukrainian LGBT+ organization.

“Today we are facing something that seemed to be impossible in the modern world: a real war. With bombs falling from the sky. With people dying. With soldiers trying to fight back the thoroughly prepared operation of an invasion into Ukraine and turning it into one of the Russian colonies.

As LGBTQI people, we are threatened, and we have no illusion that the Russian government will tolerate us. We need the world to act now.

We need the community around the world, as a political power, to address the government of their country and to call upon them for immediate action. Ukraine needs their help and support right now:

– a no-fly zone over Ukraine to secure Ukrainian airspace and protect civilians from Russian air attacks;

– providing weapons systems to Ukraine immediately;

– providing humanitarian support.

This is a very new way to protect human rights for us. Fighting Russian soldiers today means fighting for freedoms and rights for LGBTQI as well.

Economic sanctions towards Russia must be introduced immediately, including removing Russia from the SWIFT International Payments System. We don’t have time. We are under the threat of bombing and Russians occupying the streets of our cities today.

The Ukrainian LGBTQI community is under huge attack now. This is not only a threat to human rights and freedoms but also a threat to life.

We are scrolling the news not knowing what the next moment will bring. Russians already invaded Ukraine and are coming closer to our houses to take away all we gained after the years and years of our fight for human rights. Please take action. Please call your government to act now.”

ITF is looking for a consultant to conduct an impact evaluation of the International Trans Fund (ITF)

Location:	Remote
Application Deadline:	4th March 2022 (Midnight Toronto, Canada)
Type of Contract:	Individual Contract
Position Level:	International Consultant
Languages Required:	English
Starting Date:	20th March 2022
Duration of Contract:	Up to 30 working days over a period of 5 months from 20 March 2020 till 31 August 2022

BACKGROUND
The International Trans Fund (ITF) is a participatory grantmaking fund consisting of trans activists and donors. The ITF aims to increase the capacity of trans movements to self-organize and effectively advocate for trans people’s freedom from violence and discrimination, social inclusion, access to justice, self-determination, and well-being. The ITF’s long-term goals include:

Build & Sustain the Fund | Build and sustain a mechanism to support trans-led groups of different sizes working on a range of issues at the international, regional, country, and local levels, with a particular emphasis on groups with access to fewer resources.
Resource Trans Movements | Increase resources and enhance access to resources to support trans movements, including:
- Access to financial resources dedicated to trans-led organizations and networks, through grant making.
- Access to non-financial resources for trans organizations, such as skills building, organizational strengthening, leadership development and activist support.
- Access to other and new donors for trans organizations, beyond the ITF’s direct support.
Educate Philanthropic Community | Educate peers in the philanthropic community on trans issues and influence other funders and strategic allies in trans-related commitments and strategies.

The ITF is the only global participatory grant maker that is exclusively dedicated to supporting trans-led groups to secure rights for trans people and improve the lived realities of trans individuals. The ITF is led by well-established and respected trans activists that have strong links to trans-led groups in all regions. Since its founding in 2015, the ITF has leveraged more than $10 million for the global trans movement. Resourcing trans movements means supporting, sustaining, and amplifying the work its leaders are already accomplishing. Over five grant cycles, the ITF has allocated $3.877M to 134 trans-led groups in 80 countries. The Fund continues to engage funders and bolster our long-term sustainability.

The ITF is currently in its 6th year of implementation and seeks to conduct an impact evaluation study of the organization and its past 5 grant making cycles.

OBJECTIVE
The objective of this project is to enable the International Trans Fund (ITF) assess its impact over the past 5 years bearing in mind its expanded areas of intervention with a view to strengthen and enhance the ITF’s impact in delivering on its mandate.

SCOPE OF THE CONSULTANCY

The Consultant will be required to utilize appropriate quantitative and qualitative tools and methods to achieve the objectives of the consultancy services. The scope of the consultancy will include:

Review the structure, activities and working methods of the ITF and its governing structures.
Conduct an assessment of the impact of the work, activities and working methods of the ITF vis a vis its mandate including a review of its grantee portfolio.
Produce a report of its findings and recommendations on the Assignment.
Dissemination meeting for the Fund’s secretariat and Steering Committee.
Develop a Plan of Action for the implementation of the recommendations in the Impact Assessment Report.

KEY DELIVERABLES

A detailed Report that highlights the impact that the ITF and our grantee partners have had from 2017 – 2022.
Availability of a scientific basis upon which the structure and working methods of the Fund can be reviewed and revamped to enable the ITF to deliver better.
Information generated on the ITF’s areas of strength, best practices, and areas for improvement.
A Plan of Action with time frames for Implementation of the Recommendations.

The consultant shall:

Work remotely
Submit to the ITF the methodology to be used to conduct the consultancy as well as the work plan indicating timeframes for the assignment.
Prepare and submit a draft report for review and validation by the ITF.
Organise a validation workshop in collaboration with the ITF’s Secretariat to review and validate the report of its findings and recommendations and plan of action.
Act as a resource person in the validation workshop for the staff of the secretariat and the Fund’s Steering Committee.
Prepare a final report which incorporates the observations and comments made to the draft report and plan of action and submit them to the ITF’s secretariat.
The report shall be validated only if it is satisfactory and meets the requirements of the ITF. Thus, the Consultant may be required to improve on the document until it meets the requirements of the ITF.

METHODOLOGY

The methodology of the consultant will be guided (but not limited to) by the following assessment questions and criteria:

Grantmaking

How has the funding that the ITF has disbursed through grants and other means to trans-led groups made (or not) tangible, positive change in communities?
Is the ITF funding reaching groups with limited resources that are engaged in movement building activities?
Has the ITF contributed to strengthening trans movement building across the globe over the 5 grant cycles?
How effective and efficient is the ITF’s grant making mechanism and processes and has it registered any improvements across the % grant cycles?
To what extent is the ITF’s participatory grant making model an effective and an efficient use of its resources?

Institutional Strengthening

How has the ITF grown as an organization over the 5 years?
How effective has the ITF been in stewarding and mobilizing resources?
What has the investment in trans leadership and decision-making meant to the organization?
What role has the ITF played in developing the skills/capacities of its governing bodies (e.g., Steering Committee and Grant Making Panel)?

Capacity-Building/Accompaniment

Have the activities designed and implemented by the ITF addressed the identified capacity needs and improved the skills of participants?
Has the ITF provided meaningful support/accompaniment to grantee partners? What could be expanded and improved?
To what extent has the ITF played a meaningful role in ensuring that trans-led groups are able to access other funding/funders or leveraging new (non-ITF) funding?

Philanthropic Advocacy

- Has the ITF played a positive role (or any role) in shifting how donors fund trans movements? What, if anything, has changed since the ITF’s inception in philanthropy, specifically the LGBTQI philanthropic space?

What is the unique role that the ITF has played within philanthropy as the only international trans participatory grant maker?

Assessment questions and criteria will be fully developed and finalised by the consultant(s) together with the ITF.

The Consultant(s) will work under the supervision of the ITF Deputy Director.

DURATION OF THE CONSULTANCY

The duration of the consultancy is a maximum of 30 working days between 20th March and 30th August 2022.

PROPOSED BROAD TIMELINE

Publication of Call: 5th February 2022
Expression of interest close: 4th March 2022
Appointment of consulting partner: 20th March 2022
Evaluation study: 20th March to 1st August 2022
Publication of the study by ITF 1st September 2022

TECHNICAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Technical and professional experience

Proven experience in working with marginalised and excluded populations. Experience in conducting research with trans people and communities will be an added advantage.
Proven experience and expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods.
Proven experience of successfully undertaking project/program baseline, midline or endline evaluations.
Proven experience of conducting surveys of similar set-up, size, and scope on a regional or international scale.
Knowledge and experience of participatory assessment / development approaches will be required
Broad experience in conducting large surveys (data collection, validation, entry, analysis, and report writing) using multiple mediums and approaches.
Experience of working in complex donor/funder settings.

LANGUAGES

Proficiency in written and spoken English is required. Knowledge of Spanish and other ITF working languages would be an added advantage

DESIRED EXPERIENCE, KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Consultant should have experience and knowledge of the funding challenges that exist within the trans community, especially the funding gaps experienced by trans groups and movements.
Consultant must have international experience in assessing the impacts of grants and knowledge of the grant making and the philanthropic sector.
Consultant must have experience and knowledge on gender analysis and integrating questions of gender and diversity in their evaluation and analysis (and ideally have experience in feminist research and analysis).

SELECTION CRITERIA

This Call for Expression of Interest will lead to the preparation of a Short List of consultants. For evaluation of the expressions of interest the following criteria will be applied:

Quality of proposed evaluation design and methodology -Demonstrating a strong understanding of the analytical / contextual / logistical issues relevant for a study of this type and the objectives of the impact evaluation	40%
Quality of knowledge & expertise – Relevant expertise, experience, understanding of the issues and ability to collaborate productively in an international setting	25%
Quality of the consultant’s previous related work	15%
Daily rate/Budget -Cost and value for money	20%

HOW TO APPLY

To apply e-mail one document containing:

Cover letter including daily rate
CV/Resume including three contactable references
Proposed approach to assignment (2 pages max)
Two samples of previous related work

To [email protected] on or before the 5th March 2022

ITF & Astraea Announcement

The International Trans Fund (ITF) and Astraea are thrilled to announce that the ITF began operations as an independent and autonomous organization as of January 1, 2022.

The ITF is the only global participatory grantmaker exclusively dedicated to supporting trans-led groups as they work to secure rights for trans people and improve their lived realities. Since the ITF’s 2016 inception, Astraea has acted as fiscal host to ITF, to ensure it has the necessary operational support needed to grow and develop as an organization. Through this partnership, the ITF has been able to disburse $3.867M to 133 trans-led groups in 80 countries.

With over 40 years of its own grantmaking experience moving resources to LGBTQI movements and an unwavering commitment to supporting trans and non-binary communities, Astraea has offered critical technical support, guidance, and mentorship to the ITF. This partnership has represented both organizations’ deep-rooted commitment to resourcing trans movements and facilitating the growth of trans activist leadership across the globe.

The ITF’s transition to becoming an autonomous organization marks an important moment in the organization’s history. As a lesbian feminist fund that has always been committed to self-determination, Astraea congratulates the ITF on this transition, and will always stand in solidarity with the ITF as a partner and ally. Together Astraea and the ITF look forward to continuing our close partnership to move resources and shift power to trans movements across the globe.

In solidarity,

Joy Chia

Executive Director, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice

Broden Giambrone

Director, International Trans Fund

Introducing the ITF’s 5th Cycle Grantee Partners

The ITF made our first grant in 2017 and since then we have disbursed $3.87 million dollars to 133 trans-led groups in 80 countries. Now we would like to introduce you to our 5th cycle grantee partners. These groups were selected by the ITF’s Grant Making Panel, a group of 15 trans and gender non-conforming activists who review each eligible application that we receive to our annual call for applications.

This year we are thrilled to support 50 trans-led organizations in 40 countries. These organizations are doing incredible work on the frontlines, often in very hostile contexts and with limited resources. We are proud to support organizations that are promoting trans leadership and working intersectionally. We invite you to learn more about the ITF’s 5th cycle grantee partners and join us in celebrating and amplifying this powerful movement building work.

Call for applications to the Grant Making Panel

The International Trans Fund (ITF) is seeking applications from committed activists to be members of its Grant Making Panel (GMP). The deadline for submitting your application is January 17, 2022.

Applications can be submitted in either English or Spanish, the two official working languages of the ITF.

Background
Trans groups across the globe remain severely under-resourced and operate with limited or no budgets. The State of Trans Organizing, a survey of 455 trans organizations conducted in 2016 by AJWS (American Jewish World Service), GATE (Global Action for Trans Equality) and Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, found that two out of five trans groups had zero external funding and only 40% received foundation funding. 56% of trans organizations operated on a budget of less than USD$10,000 yearly and over three-quarters (78%) had annual budgets of less than USD$50,000. To address this disparity, a group of international trans activists and donors came together to create the International Trans Fund (ITF).

The ITF is a participatory grantmaking fund made up of trans activists and supporting donors. The ITF aims to increase the capacity of the trans movement to self-organize and advocate for trans people’s rights, self-determination, and wellbeing.

The purpose of the fund is to:

To develop and sustain a mechanism to support trans-led groups of different sizes working on a range of issues at the international, regional, country and local levels, with emphasis on smaller groups with limited resources.
To educate our peers in the philanthropic community on trans issues and influence other funders and strategic allies in trans related commitments and strategies.
To increase and enhance access to resources to support trans movements by increasing financial resources dedicated to trans-led organizations and groups; providing access to non-financial resources for trans organizations, such as skills building, organizational strengthening, leadership development and activist support; and improving advocacy in philanthropy to increase access to new donors.

What does “trans” mean to the ITF?
The ITF understands trans as a political term that defines the communities of people that we work with. We use trans to define people whose gender identity or expression differs from their gender assigned at birth. Some of these people identify and present themselves as male or female; others identify with a non-binary gender category. These identities or expressions include trans women, trans men, fa’afafine, leiti, fakafifine, akava’ine, mahu, vakasalewalewa, palopa, Sistergirls, Brotherboys, whakawahine, tangata ira tane, muxhe, omeguid, travesti, two spirit, hijra, bandhu, mangalamukhi, kinnar, thirunangai, thirunambi, khwaja sira, meti, katoey, waria, mak nyah, kua xing nan, trans laki-laki, transpinay, transpinoy, kwaa-sing- bit, and transgender, transsexual, genderqueer, gender non-binary, gender diverse, gender non-conforming, and agender people – to name just a few.

As part of the ITF’s commitment to self-determination and decolonizing bodily oppressions, we are permanently committed and open to recognizing gender identities that emerge and that our communities claim within their socio-political contexts. These arise from the ongoing work of resistance and liberation that involves both the remembering and reimagining of gender identities and expressions. The ITF does not privilege any one gender identity or expression over another, including those communities who do not have specific terms to describe who they are.

ITF’s Grantmaking
The ITF is a participatory grantmaking fund and we take an activist-led approach that engages trans people in our grantmaking process. This means that trans people are actively involved at every stage, from determining funding priorities to reviewing applications and making decisions about which groups get funded. All eligible applications that are submitted to the ITF are reviewed by our GMP.

Roles and Responsibilities of the GMP
The role of the GMP is to review grant proposals submitted to the ITF and make decisions on these grant applications in line with ITF’s priorities and principles.

GMP members have the following responsibilities:

Participate in online GMP training.
Attend one annual in-person meeting (the meeting location changes each year) or virtual meeting which takes approximately 6 days
Take active part in online discussions, e-mail exchanges, and at least 75% of online meetings.
Lead and conduct grantmaking processes, including:
1. Encourage trans communities to apply for funding.
2. Review applications for funding.
3. Make collective decisions on funding proposals (decisions of the GMP are final pending ratification from the Steering Committee).
4. Recommend grantmaking priorities and provide input on ITF strategy as relevant.
Strictly adhere to ITF’s confidentiality and conflict of interest policies in and outside of the ITF at all times.
Elect GMP Co-Chairs for each two-year cycle.

Time Commitment

In order to fulfill this position, GMP members must be able to commit to the following:
Participate in mandatory online training (3 hours) each year.
Review 30-50 applications (including scoring and providing feedback) over 6 weeks in each annual grantmaking cycle (approximately 50 hours total each year).
Attend and actively participate in either an in-person meeting or virtual meeting each year (6 days).

Qualification of the candidates
Essential qualifications:

Identify as trans.
Have at least 5 years of direct involvement with trans activism at the regional and/or international level.
Be recognised by other trans activists in their region as a trans community activist.
Be able to communicate and write in at least one of the ITF’s working languages (English or Spanish).
Be able and willing to work in a diverse environment that includes activists and donors.
Hold a passport allowing them to travel internationally to attend GMP meetings.
Have a strong commitment to fulfill tasks and deadlines.

Optional qualifications: It would be desirable for candidates to:

Be able to communicate and write in one of the other application languages (French, Russian or Chinese).
Have direct experience managing and reporting on grants for trans work.

Conflict of Interest
GMP members or their family members cannot be significantly involved in any group that has applied or will apply for funding from the ITF. GMP members may not benefit financially from the grants assessed or existing ITF grants.

Timeframe
GMP members will be appointed by the Steering Committee for a two-year term.

Compensation
GMP members will receive a remuneration of USD$1,000 per one-year grant cycle. Members also receive travel expenses, including per diem, to attend ITF meetings.

Selection process
The Steering Committee will select seven (7) activists to serve as GMP members. When selecting candidates, every effort will be made to ensure diversity across regions, gender identities and expressions, and representation from further marginalized groups within trans communities.

Apply
Please submit your CV and cover letter to [email protected] by January 17, 2022.

Statement on the Trans Day of Remembrance

This November 20th, 2020, the International Trans Fund (ITF) remembers and honors the lives of trans and gender-diverse people who have been murdered. The ITF’s mission is to mobilize sustainable resources for strong, trans-led movements and collective action, and to address and eliminate funding gaps impacting trans groups across the globe. The ITF has disbursed $2.615 million US dollars to 105 trans-led groups in 63 countries worldwide over four grantmaking cycles.

According to the Trans Murder Monitoring (TMM) TGEU project, 350 trans and gender-diverse people across the world were murdered between October 1, 2019 and September 30, 2020. These updated results present a 6% increase in reported murders since 2019 and 3664 reported cases in 75 countries and territories worldwide between January 1, 2008 and September 30, 2020. These shocking figures illustrate the extremely high rates of violence that trans and gender-diverse people face every day.

In addition to direct violence, trans people also regularly experience stigmatization, exclusion and discrimination. In many countries, trans people struggle to obtain legal gender recognition and are forced to undergo medical procedures such as sterilization in order to be legally recognized. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as growing racism and police brutality, the lives of trans and gender-diverse people, especially those most marginalized, are at even greater risk. In order to better understand the impact of COVID-19, the ITF developed a short survey that went to our grantee partners in April 2020. One of the most striking results was that 73% reported mental health challenges and the urgent need for self-care and wellness.

As the only global participatory grantmaker fund exclusively dedicated to supporting trans-led groups in all world regions, the ITF is acutely aware of the many obstacles facing trans and gender-diverse people in accessing basic survival needs. Trans-led groups are also uniquely placed to address and respond to the challenges facing their communities but often lack the resources to do so. As we commemorate the Trans Day of Remembrance and the lives lost, the ITF stands in solidarity with trans people and groups across the world and calls upon:

Civil society to stand up and amplify their voices against all violence directed towards trans and gender-diverse people.
Donors to increase financial support for trans-led organizations, especially for the most marginalized trans communities globally, in recognition of the chronic and pervasive underfunding of trans movements.

Category: News