The State Department this week is hosting a conference designed to bolster funding of global LGBT advocacy efforts. Dozens of activists from around the world are attending the three-day gathering at the State Department that began on Wednesday. U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator Rajiv Shah, Ambassador Kees van Baar of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Javier Vasquez of the Pan American Health Organization, Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice Executive Director J. Bob Alotta, Council for Global Equality Chair Mark Bromley and Arcus Foundation Executive Director Kevin Jennings are among those who are also taking part in the conference. Thomas Shannon, counselor to Secretary of State John Kerry, on Wednesday noted the U.S. so far this year has contributed more than $5 million to advance LGBT rights in more than 50 countries through its Global Equality Fund. He said the Obama administration has also worked through its various partnerships to generate an additional $3.4 million in the past fiscal year for this effort. Shannon also noted the Arcus Foundation has pledged to match corporate contributions to the Global Equality Fund of up to $1 million before the end of 2014. “That’s a big challenge, but it’s even a bigger opportunity,” he said. “The fact is that we’re spending only a few million dollars a year to promote the human rights of LGBT persons around the globe. When we step back and measure what we’re up against, that’s not nearly enough.” - See more at: washingtonblade/2014/11/13/state-department-hosts-global-lgbt-donor-conference/#sthash.HD1zTsc0.dpuf
Posted on: Sun, 16 Nov 2014 14:57:53 +0000
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