Cameroon: Money is tight, so LGBTI activists prepare to work smarter
Trans, lesbian, bisexual and queer activists join LGBTI workshops
By Jean Jacques Dissoke
Transgender support groups and LBQ (lesbian, bisexual and queer) rights advocates joined with other LGBTI organizations recently to learn skills they need during a time of limited financial support from abroad.
The training sessions were sponsored by the Unity Platform, a human rights watchdog group that serves as a regulatory, structuring and support body for LGBTI organizations in Cameroon. The Unity Platform has 34 member organizations that defend the rights of sexual and gender minorities in Cameroon,
The week-long capacity-building workshop was part of the “Together” project, financed by the European Union to strengthen these organizations. It was held in Yaoundé under the supervision of the Cameroonian Foundation for AIDS, or Camfaids. The goal was to improve the technical skills of the various players in the mobilization of resources, particularly financial resources.
It’s a crucial topic at a time when funds earmarked for LGBTI issues are scarce. At present, only some French and Dutch partners still fund the LGBTI movement in Cameroon.
Among the participants in the workshop were members of two trans support organizations — Transigeance and Positive Vision — and one LGQ group — Elles Cameroun.
Speakers at the workshop told participants about existing windows of opportunity for funding their work.
Jean Jacques Dissoke, the author of this article, is a Cameroonian activist. Contact him at info@76crimes.com.
