The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced that a senior coordinator would soon be named to guide the administrative division on LGBT issues overseas.
The Washington Blade, US gay newspaper, reported that the announcement was made on Monday by Donald Steinberg, USAID’s deputy administrator, who unveiled plans to create the new position during a panel discussion in which officials discussed ways the State Department was integrating LGBT concerns abroad as part of U.S. foreign policy.
“In order to highlight these concerns, we’re pleased to announce that USAID will shortly name a senior coordinator for sexual orientation and gender identity who will be responsible for advising the USAID administrator on this agenda,” Steinberg said.
USAID which operates under the State Department is responsible for providing U.S. economic and humanitarian assistance in Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, Europe and Eurasia, and the Middle East.
The report quoted Steinberg as saying that USAID has integrated “four pillars” as part of its mission to address LGBT issues overseas, including working to enhance the political, social and economic development of LGBT people; ensuring that the LGBT community is part of overseas development; and promoting social and legal equality for LGBT people.
The official also added that the agency would create a new policy committee to facilitate the integration of LGBT issues into the agency’s work.
USAID’s decision follows countries like the Netherlands and Sweden which provide foreign aid for LGBT communities through its embassies and development agencies. Netherlands-based HIVOS, a humanist foundation, receives grants from the Dutch government to administer a portion of foreign aid in over 30 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and Southeastern Europe.
The Swedish Government also provides foreign aid through Sida (Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency), RFSU (Swedish Association for Sexuality Education) and RFSL (The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Rights) to promote LGBT rights and related work. The Ambassador of Sweden to Vietnam, Staffan Herrstrom, was recently named an ambassador for a website for Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG). The project was funded by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) in association with Vietnam-based Institute for Studies of Society, Economy and Environment (iSEE).
Professor Douglas Sanders, a Fridae columnist and leading international expert on LGBT issues, also told Fridae that the Canadian International Development Agency is known to fund LGBT initiatives – with himself being the first recipient of a grant for a training workshop in 2003 held in Bangkok.