A feedback session for this AIW is scheduled for June 5 at 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET
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Delegates and congregations are invited to attend feedback sessions to both learn about the proposed AIWs and to provide some feedback to the proposers.
Proposer: Keola Whittaker, Delegate for First Unitarian Church of Los Angeles
Funding Global LGBTIQ Freedom Amid Crisis: A Call for Immediate Action and Solidarity
Our Unitarian Universalist principles affirm the inherent worth and dignity of every person, justice and compassion in human relations, and the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all. Our UU faith calls us to recognize that all bodies are sacred, and that each person is endowed with the divine gifts of agency, conscience, and self-determination, regardless of gender identity or sexual orientation.
As Unitarian Universalists, we understand that liberation theology requires us to center the most marginalized communities and stand against systems of oppression that target our LGBTIQ siblings across the globe. We recognize that true global justice requires that we acknowledge the interconnected nature of human rights struggles and accept our moral responsibility to act from a place of radical solidarity.
Global funding for LGBTIQ human rights has suffered an abrupt termination of over $100 million due to funding cuts from the U.S. and the Netherlands, representing nearly 25% of all global LGBTIQ funding. Approximately 90% of USAID programs supporting LGBTIQ communities globally have been terminated, devastating grassroots movements worldwide and threatening the existence of organizations operating in the most hostile environments.
This funding crisis has forced the closure of critical programs supporting democratic participation, economic livelihoods for trans communities, emergency shelters, legal reform, and health services including HIV prevention and treatment. Without urgent intervention, 20-25% of grassroots LGBTIQ organizations in 50 countries may be forced to shut down entirely, leaving vulnerable populations without vital support and protection.
The human cost of these cuts is already evident in places like:
- Uganda, where LGBTIQ people cannot safely seek care in government hospitals due to the draconian 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act;
- Myanmar, where legal aid for arbitrarily arrested LGBTIQ individuals has been suspended;
- Malawi, where safe houses for homeless lesbian, bisexual, trans, and intersex women facing violence have been closed; and
- Ukraine, where programs supporting displaced LGBTIQ people during wartime have shut down.
Resolved: We, the delegates of the 2025 UUA General Assembly, call on Unitarian Universalists to:
- Make a personal commitment to:
- Educate ourselves about the global LGBTIQ funding crisis and reflect on our connections to international human rights.
- Confront our own complicity in systems that allow for the decimation of crucial human rights funding.
- Evaluate our individual and congregational capacity to contribute resources to this urgent cause.
- Organize
- Form LGBTIQ global solidarity groups within congregations using educational resources from organizations like Outright International and ILGA World.
- Build meaningful partnerships between congregations and international LGBTIQ organizations, particularly those working in countries with hostile environments for LGBTIQ people.
- Connect with other faith communities to amplify advocacy efforts and resource mobilization.
- Advocate
- Urge the U.S. government to restore and increase funding for international LGBTIQ human rights work.
- Contact elected officials to express concern about the devastating impact of funding cuts on vulnerable LGBTIQ populations worldwide.
- Write op-eds, letters to editors, and social media content to raise awareness about this crisis.
- Engage with corporate partners to encourage private sector support for global LGBTIQ organizations.
- Witness
- Speak publicly as people of faith whose UU theology compels us to work for global LGBTIQ rights.
- Participate in solidarity events that center the voices and needs of international LGBTIQ communities.
- Demonstrate faith-based support for LGBTIQ rights globally.
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Fundraise for international LGBTIQ funding intermediaries like Outright International and ILGA World.
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Engage in Learning
- Host educational forums on the global state of LGBTIQ rights and the impacts of funding cuts.
- Invite representatives from international LGBTIQ organizations to speak at congregations virtually or in person.
- Develop youth and adult religious education curricula on global LGBTIQ justice.
- Share stories of resilience and resistance from LGBTIQ communities facing repression.
In recognition that the global LGBTIQ movement’s survival and the safety and dignity of millions depend on decisive action today, we commit to answering this call to courage with our resources, our advocacy, and our faithful solidarity.
Urgency Statement: This Action of Immediate Witness addresses an unprecedented and rapidly unfolding humanitarian crisis affecting LGBTIQ communities worldwide. Based on data provided directly by Outright International, a leading global LGBTIQ human rights organization with consultative status at the United Nations, approximately $105 million in critical funding for LGBTIQ human rights work has been abruptly terminated due to recent U.S. and Netherlands government funding cuts.
The timing of this AIW is critical as:
- These cuts represent the elimination of nearly 25% of all global LGBTIQ funding virtually overnight, creating an emergency situation for organizations serving the most vulnerable populations.
- Without immediate intervention, as many as 20-25% of grassroots LGBTIQ organizations in 50 countries may be forced to shut down entirely within months, leaving vulnerable LGBTIQ people without vital services and protections in regions where they already face severe discrimination and violence.
- The human impact is already devastating:
- In Uganda, organizations providing healthcare to LGBTIQ people facing persecution under the 2023 Anti-Homosexuality Act are being evicted from their facilities.
- In Myanmar, legal aid for LGBTIQ individuals arbitrarily arrested and tortured by the military dictatorship has been suspended.
- In Malawi, safe houses for homeless LGBTIQ women facing violence have been closed, forcing residents onto the streets.
- In Ukraine, programs supporting displaced LGBTIQ people during wartime have shut down.
This AIW calls for immediate action by UU congregations to form partnerships with international LGBTIQ organizations, help replace critical funding through fundraising and donations, and calls on UUs to leverage our faith voice to advocate for restoration of government support. The window for effectively responding to this crisis is narrow since many organizations have already exhausted their emergency reserves, and without swift action, decades of progress on global LGBTIQ rights may be undone.
As Unitarian Universalists committed to the inherent worth and dignity of every person and global justice, we have both the moral responsibility and the collective capacity to respond to this urgent humanitarian crisis. This AIW provides concrete, actionable steps for UU individuals and congregations to make a meaningful difference during this critical moment for global LGBTIQ communities.
Key Statistics:
- $105M in global LGBTIQ funding eliminated overnight (25% of total)
- 90% of USAID LGBTIQ programs terminated globally
- 130+ grassroots organizations across 50 countries at immediate risk
- 20-25% of Outright’s grantee organizations face complete shutdown
Information Source: This AIW draws on verified data and direct testimonials provided by Outright International, which has 35 years of experience working with local activists in over 100 countries and holds consultative status at the United Nations. The funding crisis details and impact assessments were compiled through Outright’s direct work with affected organizations worldwide.