Second Year of HRC’s Global Partnerships in Pride Supported Advocacy and Visibility Around the World

by HRC Staff

The second year of HRC’s Global Partnerships in Pride program wrapped up in December.

Post submitted by Saurav Jung Thapa, former Associate Director, HRC Global 

The second year of HRC’s Global Partnerships in Pride program wrapped up in December. The program, which launched in 2017, provided support to many of HRC’s global program alumni as they worked to raise the visibility of the LGBTQ community in their countries. The program supported Prides in eight countries in 2018.

2017's Pride events in countries such as El Salvador, India and Peru included a transgender dance troupe performance and the launch of a new LGBTQ rights organization.

In 2018, we were proud to support the following Prides:

Sofia Pride in Bulgaria

HRC, along with more than 20 businesses and two dozen embassies, supported Sofia Pride on June 9.  Former HRC Global Fellow Denitsa Lyubenov organized the parade, which 4,000 people attended.  Advocates highlighted the need for marriage equality and the rights of same-sex families during a month of events that culminated with the Pride parade.  

Sofia Pride 2018

Colombo Pride in Sri Lanka

HRC was delighted to partner with HRC Global Innovator Rosanna Flamer-Caldera for the 14th annual Colombo Pride. We worked with Flamer-Caldera’s organization EQUAL GROUND on the IDEA Junction event on June 21, which was part of a month of events and festivities. LGBTQ groups and activists exchanged innovative ideas and strategized on moving equality forward at this event.

Thessaloniki Pride in Greece

HRC teamed up with HRC Global Innovator Thanos Vlachogiannis who organized the 7th Thessaloniki Pride on June 23. More than 18,000 people marched at the parade -- the biggest turnout ever for the event. With the slogan of a "A Family Thing," this year's festivities were dedicated to the rights of LGBTQ people to parenthood and creating families. The organizers sent a message to the Greek government that it still fails to legally recognize and protect LGBTQ families.

Pride in eSwatini

HRC was proud to coordinate with Melusi Simelane and his organization Rock of Hope, which organized Eswatini's (formerly known as Swaziland) first-ever pride event on June 30. Hundreds attended the first-ever LGBTQ Pride event in the country where same-sex relationships are outlawed.

Jamaica Pride

From July 29 to August 6, hundreds of LGBTQ Jamaicans and allies came together to celebrate the country’s fourth annual Pride. HRC was proud to support Equality Jamaica and #PrideJa2018, which saw a total of 13 events over the eight days anchored in the theme of “Centering LGBT People in Jamaica’s Future.” Events included a sports day, an event for LGBT people of faith, a breakfast, a health fair, family funday and much more.

Cambodia

CamASEAN organized a pride storytelling event in which elderly transgender people and their partners shared the hardships they had overcome over the decades in Cambodia. They shared inspiring stories of building and fortifying the country's LGBTQ community. The media and many students attended the event, which HRC was proud to sponsor.

Cambodia, Pride, HRC Partnerships in Pride

Botswana

HRC was proud to support former HRC Global Innovator Hazel Mokgathi, who worked with the African Women for Sexual Health and Gender Justice to hold the first-ever transgender pride event in Botswana on October 6. Advocates celebrated recent victories and strategized for future litigation to advance transgender rights.

Trans Pride Pakistan 

HRC Global Innovator Jannat Ali organized Pakistan's first-ever transgender pride event in Lahore on December 29.  More than 250 participants celebrated the progress for trans rights in Pakistan, including the passage of a comprehensive national transgender rights law, and sought to dispel myths and stigma about the trans community. HRC, along with Copenhagen Pride and San Diego Pride, were the main sponsors of the event. 

Lahore, Pakistan, transgender, pride

Topics:
Global