Canada is committed to further supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, two-spirit and intersex policies domestically and abroad

As part of its commitment to supporting LGBTQ2 and intersex persons at home and abroad, Canada announced its intention to deliver on several policy commitments to improve the way it understands and supports LGBTQ2 and intersex communities and defenders on the world stage.‎

Upcoming call for project concepts to promote LGBTQ2 and intersex rights during violent conflict

Funding: approximately $1 million

Description: Through the Peace and Stabilization Operations Program, Canada will launch a call for project concepts with funding to up to a million dollars to address LGBTQ2‎ and intersex rights during violent conflict. This historic announcement’s aims are to protect LGBTQ2 and intersex people during conflict; to involve them in responses to conflict and stabilization; and to stabilize post-conflict societies while advancing the rights of the communities.

Justice for Victims of Gender-based Violence in Honduras

Implementing partner: Justice Education Society of British Columbia

Funding (2017 to 2023): approximately $1 million

Description: This project aims to strengthen the justice system’s response to high rates of gender-based crimes in Honduras, including femicides and crimes against LGBTQ2 and intersex persons, in eight departments in the country with the highest reported incidence of these offences. The goal is to improve investigations and enhance the prosecution of gender-based crimes through better preparation and argumentation of legal cases and support to and protection of victims.

Furthering the aims of Canada’s Feminist International Assistance Policy

To further the aims of the Feminist International Assistance Policy, Canada will identify strategies to better address the challenges that LGBTQ2 and intersex communities face in contributing to and benefiting from sustainable development and humanitarian assistance efforts.

Canada will seek to address gaps in its understanding, policy discourse and programming approaches to support the expansion of inclusive initiatives that advance LGBTQ2 and intersex human rights and improve socio-economic outcomes for LGBTQ2 and intersex persons in developing countries.

To deliver on this commitment, Global Affairs Canada will undertake:

• targeted, proactive outreach and meaningful engagement with LGBTQ2 and intersex persons and their representative organizations to support their participation in policy dialogue that will inform programming priorities, such as Canada’s new partnership to fund gender equality and empower women and girls, as well as ensure they have equal access to funding in future calls for proposals;
• development and delivery of LGBTQ2 and intesex inclusive development training for Global Affairs Canada staff to build internal capacity;
• enhanced collection and use of disaggregated data to help expand the evidence base on the realities faced by LGBTQ2 and intersex persons in developing countries; and
• introduction of an internal LGBTQ2 and intersex policy marker to track international assistance programming in this area.

Updating the Global Affairs Canada human rights defender guidelines Voices at Risk

Canada will update its Guidelines on Supporting Human Rights Defenders, also known as Voices at Risk, with specific guidance for Canada’s diplomatic missions abroad on supporting defenders of LGBTQ2 and intersex human rights. These guidelines better equip Canada's heads of mission and their teams by providing practical advice on effective support to activists and others engaged in defending human rights in challenging contexts around the world.