ECOM, in partnership with the APCOM Foundation, supported six organizations and initiative groups from EECA countries as part of the “LGBTIQ+ Emergency Support Fund” project. Each project received funding to ensure rapid responses to crises and threats.

As part of the project, a small grants competition was previously announced, the goal of which was to enable LGBT organizations and initiative groups to rapidly respond to emergency situations, threats to human rights, and restrictions on civic space while maintaining security, continuing activism, and protecting the rights of communities.

24 applications were submitted from countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Following the selection process, six projects from Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan received 5,000 USD each. The total funding provided in the EECA region was 30,000 USD.

The main areas of activity of the supported projects include:

  • countering disinformation and hate speech against trans people in Armenia;
  • supporting safe spaces and providing emergency assistance to queer women, trans, and gender-diverse people in Georgia;
  • providing emergency legal assistance to the LGBT community and documenting human rights violations in Kyrgyzstan;
  • counteracting the adoption of a discriminatory law on “LGBTQIA+ propaganda” in Kazakhstan;
  • strengthening the leadership and resilience of the trans community in Kyrgyzstan;
  • providing emergency legal and psychological assistance to LGBT people facing persecution and detention in Tajikistan.

All projects are aimed at supporting and protecting LGBT communities facing violence, discrimination, and restrictions of their rights.

“The LGBTIQ+ Emergency Support Fund is more than just a grant mechanism; it’s a vital lifeline for communities facing restricted civic space, discrimination, and crises in our region. By supporting community-led initiatives, we ensure that those closest to the challenges shape solutions. This competition reaffirms our shared commitment to strengthening resilience, protecting human rights, and amplifying LGBTIQ+ voices where it’s most needed,” notes Uluk Batyrgaliyev, the project coordinator.

ECOM continues to support initiatives led by LGBT communities to protect rights and preserve space for activism in the EECA region in the face of growing challenges.