In 2019, Youth Voices Count (YVC) opened its flagship IGNITE! Empowerment for LGBTIQ adolescents & youth program. Following the vision of YVC in supporting LGBTIQ youth-led initiatives in the region, this small-scale technical & financial support program hopes to empower & develop the capacities of youth-led projects in countries in the Asia-Pacific Region. So far YVC has provided support in 9 countries across the Asia-Pacific Region. We hope to continue doing this work with your support!
Across Asia-Pacific, LGBTIQ identities, behaviors, activities, and persons are criminalized, oppressed, discriminated against and stigmatized. The human rights of these individuals and groups are violated and disregarded. In effect, many LGBTIQ youth are unable to access information, skill-building opportunities, essential health, social service, and educational services, and access safe spaces for their personal security. This project hopes to target 1000 LGBTIQ youth who face these issues.
The support we provide, both to individuals and organizations working LGBTIQ-youth, will bridge the gap between the social issues preventing access to services and the LGBTIQ youth who face hurdles in accessing these services. The technical and financial support we provide including skill building sessions, discussions on human rights and gender, allowances for LGBTIQ youth, networks and peer-support, and other essential resources will hopefully lessen the burden for these LGBTIQ youth.
This project will support at least 1000 LGBTIQ youth either directly (through individual support provided) or indirectly (through the learning and advocacy sessions, and programs conducted by partner organizations at the local and national level). This will create long-term impact in the lives of LGBTIQ+ youth especially in places and spaces that pose significant threat to their lives and liberty.
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).