Help LGBTIQ people and groups in Ukraine

Context. More than four years after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the humanitarian impact remains severe. Millions of people continue to face displacement, insecurity, and challenges accessing housing, healthcare, livelihoods, and other essential services. For lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (LGBTIQ) Ukrainians, these challenges are often compounded by stigma, discrimination, and exclusion. Many humanitarian actors still lack the knowledge, capacity, or commitment needed to effectively serve LGBTIQ communities, leaving critical gaps in access to life-saving assistance and longer-term recovery support.

LGBTIQ Ukraine Emergency Fund. LGBTIQ organizations remain best positioned to identify and respond to the needs of their communities during crisis and recovery. Through its LGBTIQ Ukraine Emergency Fund, Outright has distributed more than $3.6 million in grants to 45 national and community-based LGBTIQ-led organizations in Ukraine and neighboring countries. The Fund has enabled these organizations to sustain operations, expand humanitarian assistance, and remain trusted sources of support for LGBTIQ people affected by the war. As locally rooted actors, they can respond rapidly to emerging needs and will continue serving their communities long after international emergency actors scale down their presence.

Since launching the Fund, Outright has pursued three core objectives:

• Equip national and local LGBTIQ civil society organizations (CSOs) to provide essential humanitarian assistance to crisis-affected LGBTIQ communities across Ukraine.
• Strengthen the capacity of LGBTIQ CSOs to access broader humanitarian and recovery resources.
• Increase the visibility of LGBTIQ needs and priorities within Ukraine's humanitarian response system.

Outright's support combines immediate humanitarian assistance with investments that help organizations remain operational and resilient throughout the war and recovery period. Funded activities include:

• Providing vouchers for food, hygiene products, and other essential supplies.
• Supporting access to gender-affirming care and other critical healthcare services for transgender and intersex Ukrainians, as well as individuals with chronic or acute medical needs.
• Facilitating safe transportation from conflict-affected areas.
• Providing safe temporary housing.

The Fund also supports longer-term recovery and organizational resilience efforts, including:

• Re-skilling and employment training for internally displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians who have lost livelihoods due to the war.
• Repairing and equipping community centers that provide space for peer support, training, and community-building activities.
• Strengthening the safety and security of offices and community spaces.
• Supporting strategic planning to ensure organizational sustainability and long-term impact.

The balance between emergency response and recovery support varies by location. Organizations operating in heavily affected areas continue to prioritize urgent humanitarian needs amid ongoing attacks, while organizations in less afected areas are increasingly focused on supporting internally displaced LGBTIQ Ukrainians and advancing longer-term recovery and integration efforts.

Links:

• LGBTIQ Ukraine Humanitarian Response - Outright International