Jamaica

TransWave Jamaica

Economic Well-being
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Kyrgyzstan

Kyrgyz Indigo

Economic Well-being
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Lesotho

People’s Matrix Association

Personal security and violence
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Macedonia

LGBTI Support Center

Personal security and violence
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Montenegro

Spectra

Education
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Mozambique

LAMBDA Association

Civic and political participation
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Nigeria

The Initiative for Equal Rights (TIERs)

Personal security and violence
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South Africa

Matimba

Health
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Trinidad and Tobago

I Am One

Economic Well-being
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Zimbabwe

Voice of the Voiceless (VoVo)

Personal security and violence
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Nigeria

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE)

Civic and political participation
Introduction

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE) is a non-profit organisation based in Kano State, Nigeria.

Who

Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality is a radical gender feminist lesbian, bisexual and queer (LBQ+) organisation, led by young women and girls, defying the odds to amplify voices, step out of the margins and empower community for advocacy and leadership.

Vision

A society where everyone is able to freely self-determine, self-express and achieve their full potential as equal members irrespective of their gender, sexual identity and orientation.

WISE’s aims and objectives

Summary of work:

Formerly known as Women Action for Gender Equality (WAGE); the name changed to Women Initiative for Sustainable Empowerment and Equality (WISE).

WISE is the first non-profit organisation to identify as LBQ+ operating in the core northern region of Nigeria. This region is made up of 19 states and comprises of the northeast, northwest and north-central zones. It is a region that is highly radicalized with the Shariah as one of the operating legal systems.

Under this system, a lesbian or bisexual woman may face caning or stoning to death for engaging in same-sex consenting relationships.

WISE is aware of the security risks and challenges that they face but are determined to provide leadership for the community and empower them to take up leadership roles through the various programs they implement.

  • Social Workers Trainings
  • Paralegal Trainings
  • Young LBQ Women Empowerment Programs
  • Community Outreaches and Advocacy
  • Research on Needs Assessment of LBQ Women and Trans People in West Africa and Nigeria (A collaborative work)