4 LGBTQIA+ centered NGOs you should know
While Section 377 was taken down by the supreme court in 2018, the fight for the LGBTQIA+ community in India, is still on.
Queer folks face a lot of discrimination when they come out to their families and the pursuit for marital rights seems like a long and hard one. There is still a tremendous need to sensitise the citizens of India as homophobia and transphobia is still rampant across our nation.
However, the LGBTQIA+ movement has continuously fought for their rights and showered their rainbow love, resulting in more people being comfortable with who they are.
The media has taken notice and there is a recent attempted shift in pop culture which demands the importance for the inclusion of the community.
On the ground level though, it is the NGOs who are doing the real work and making all the leaps and changes. Here are a few of them that are actively creating a safe and healthy space for the movement towards equality to grow:
Humsafar Trust:
“This centre can now diagnose, provide the pills, carry out testing and assessment and provide counselling and ART therapy all under one roof.”
– Ashok Row Kavi, founder of Humsafar Trust
Humsafar Trust is an NGO in Mumbai which promotes LGBTQIA+ rights.
Founded by Ashok Row Kavi in 1994, it is one of the largest and most active of such organisations in India. It provides counselling, advocacy and healthcare to the LGBTQIA+ communities and has helped reduce violence, discrimination and stigma against them.
Initiatives under the trust:
Convenor Member of INFOSEM
HST is convener member of Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities (INFOSEM) the only national level network of sexual minorities that has 196 community based organisations representing Lesbian, Gay, Kothi, MSM, bisexual and Transgender communities as members.
Yaariyan & Umang
HST has nurtured a support group ‘UMANG’ (Joy) for LGBTQIA+ persons and a youth LGBTQIA+ group ‘YAARIYAN’ (Friendships). Both the groups are actively involved in engaging with young members of the community and undertake a number of community-binding and advocacy related initiatives. Yaariyan has been doing LGBTQIA+ flash mob in Mumbai for many years.
Sanjeevani
Humsafar has nurtured SANJEEVANI, a support group for people living with HIV.Sanjeevani was established in March 2003, and registered in March 2010, as a CBO of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) living with HIV. It has been a support group of over 300 individuals living with HIV.
Humsafar Connect
HST has set up CONNECT which is a National Online Resource Center that will connect LGBTQIA+ communities worldwide.
HIV/AIDS ART Clinic
The Humsafar Trust inaugurated India’s first integrated community-based HIV treatment centre and clinic in Mumbai to provide free counselling and Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). It has been set up with the help of Mumbai District State AIDS Control Society (MDACS) and FHI 360. The community-based ART centre is a pilot differentiated care supported by the government of India.
Helpline number: 9930095856
The Naz Foundation (India) Trust
The Naz Foundation has been around since 1994, working on the axis of sexuality and sexual health. They have supported a total of 2,34,464 people through their LGBTQIA+ initiative.
The Delhi-based organisation’s vision, as laid out by the respected activist Anjali Gopalan, is to create a just and equitable society by transforming individuals from socially and economically excluded communities into agents of change.
Playing a crucial role in the battle against IPC Section 377, they also run a helpline number, while their office in East of Kailash is open for counselling sessions.
Contact information:
Mumbai: +01 22 25015025
Delhi: +91 11 41325042 , +91 11 40793157/58
Bangalore: +91 80 48902993
Queerythm
Prijith PK’s community-based organisation, Queerythm, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, works on LGBTQIA+ rights, growth and lifestyles.
In 2017 Queerythm made the headlines for helping Zara as she became the first transgender person in Kerala, to come to terms with her identity as well to find a job in a multinational company.
Their Pride Walk in the city, featuring plays, musical performances and fashion shows, orchestrated by noted members of the community from the south..
Their belief states that “coming out means coming home,” and their purpose is to build a society free from discrimination against gender and sexual minorities.
Helpline number: 097478 11406
The Queer Muslim Project
Countering queerphobia and muslim hate one story at a time, is what the Queer muslim project is all about.
The Queer Muslim Project was created in March 2017, to create safe spaces for queer Muslims in India where they can be seen and thrive. They use digital storytelling, affirmative art practices, and the creation of sustained, supportive online and offline networks to challenge the stigma, harmful stereotypes, and social exclusion of LGBTQIA+ and Muslim persons.
Visit them on instagram.
PS: For all you non queer folks reading, supporting LGBTQIA+ based organisations is a great step towards becoming an ally!