Published: 27.01.2014.

Croatia joins Global Equality Fund as a partner

Today, Croatia became a new partner of the Global Equality Fund (GEF), an initiative linking together governments, companies and civil society organizations

Today, Croatia became a new partner of the Global Equality Fund (GEF), an initiative linking together governments, companies and civil society organizations, including USAID, the governments of Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden, as well as Arcus, John D. Evans, Fond Mac AIDS, and Deloitte LLP foundations, with the objective of supporting programs that promote LGBT rights around the world.

The GEF was launched by the US State Department in December 2011 and has since allocated more than USD 7.7 million to more than 50 countries to help protect the human rights of LGBT persons.

LGBT persons worldwide are exposed to serious and acute violations of their human rights. At least 76 countries have laws that incriminate consensual sexual relations between same sex adults, which apart from reflecting and promoting intolerance and violating the rights of LGBT persons, curb the activities of human right advocates as well. Despite the challenges, local CSOs bravely work to protect LGBT rights and to support them the GEF has been established, whose funds are allotted to three priority areas: emergency response; knowledge, ability and new technology; and promoting tolerance and acceptance.