Securing the most basic freedoms for people worldwide requires front-line organizations challenging abuse wherever it occurs. The Fund for Global Human Rights finds the best human rights activists in countries around the world and gives them vital resources to do their work. The Fund has made grants to groups working on the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) persons since it was founded. It currently supports human rights organizations in every region in which it works to promote the enjoyment of rights by all individuals regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Its funding of LGBTI organizations extends from Latin America to South Asia, North Africa, Southeast Asia, and Sub- Saharan Africa. By funding local human rights heroes—who often work at great personal risk—the Fund aims to strengthen their efforts, while bringing global attention to their plight.
While the activism the Fund supports takes different forms and advocates operate in extremely varied cultural and political contexts, they face common challenges. There generally are few groups focused on sexuality rights in any one country and they often are isolated from mainstream human rights organizations. Therefore, the Fund helps them build wider support for their work by connecting them with the broader human rights movement and helping them build coalitions. Given the extremely dangerous circumstances in which these advocates work, the Fund also helps them respond to serious security threats and efforts to criminalize their work.