LGBTI as a “development issue” “Institutionalized discrimination in all forms is bad for people and bad for societies. Discrimination against women, against gays and lesbians, against minorities, against people of color, against indigenous people, is not only morally wrong, it is bad for economies. At a time when countries are looking for ways to boost their economic growth in this competitive, unforgiving and interconnected world, their discrimination policies are holding them back…We need to find ways to confront discrimination wherever we see it, in whatever form it appears.” -World Bank President Jim Yong Kim “Unpacking” the letters: L,G,B,T,I, and Q different realities for each demographic intersectionality between the letters and beyond Security and safety making human rights possible The battle over values the premise of universal consensus on human rights not “gay rights”, but human rights …for everyone conflict between family (local) values and universal values A direct relationship between extreme marginalization the poverty trap Many faces of poverty and exclusion poverty associated with isolation arising from economic, political, and cultural exclusion exclusion from public services (e.g. health, education) family and community exclusion spiritual and religious exclusion pervasive stigmatization and loss of hope Poverty increases vulnerability to violence, fear, and insecurity psychological and sociological implications, “internalization” Philosopher and Nobel Laureate economist Amartya Sen’s seven freedoms “short list” freedom from discrimination – for equality freedom from want – for a decent standard of living freedom from being thwarted in self-realization – for realization of self-potential freedom from fear – for no threats to personal security freedom from injustice – for fairness, dignity, and rule of law freedom from repression – for participation, expression, and association freedom from exploitation – for decent work The cost of exclusion and persecution of sexual minorities The Economic Cost of Homophobia & The Exclusion of LGBT People: A Case Study of India M.V. Badgett, Ph.D.; February 2014 “As is the case with discrimination against women, or racial minorities, or migrants or other disadvantaged groups; discrimination against LGBT people leads to exclusion, a waste of human potential, a loss of creative talent, and a loss of productive capacity. Ultimately, it undermines our 2030 Agenda and the sustainable development goals elaborated therein.” Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly

1. LGBTI and Development

2. Why should we be concerned?
• LGBTI as a “development issue”
“Institutionalized discrimination in all forms is bad for
people and bad for societies. Discrimination against
women, against gays and lesbians, against minorities,
against people of color, against indigenous people, is not
only morally wrong, it is bad for economies. At a time
when countries are looking for ways to boost their
economic growth in this competitive, unforgiving and
interconnected world, their discrimination policies are
holding them back…We need to find ways to confront
discrimination wherever we see it, in whatever form
it appears.”
-World Bank President Jim Yong Kim

3. Cause and effect - LGBTI and poverty
• A direct relationship between
– extreme marginalization
– the poverty trap
• Many faces of poverty and exclusion
– poverty associated with isolation arising from
• economic, political, and cultural exclusion
• exclusion from public services (e.g. health, education)
• family and community exclusion
• spiritual and religious exclusion
– pervasive stigmatization and loss of hope
• Poverty increases vulnerability to violence, fear, and
insecurity
– psychological and sociological implications, “internalization”

4. LGBTI and human rights
• “Unpacking” the letters: L,G,B,T,I, and Q
– different realities for each demographic
– intersectionality between the letters and beyond
• Security and safety
– making human rights possible
• The battle over values
– the premise of universal consensus on human rights
– not “gay rights”, but human rights …for everyone
– conflict between family (local) values and universal values

5. LGBTI: evaluating rights, freedoms and
opportunities
• Philosopher and Nobel Laureate economist Amartya
Sen’s seven freedoms “short list”
• freedom from discrimination – for equality
• freedom from want – for a decent standard of living
• freedom from being thwarted in self-realization – for
realization of self-potential
• freedom from fear – for no threats to personal security
• freedom from injustice – for fairness, dignity, and rule of law
• freedom from repression – for participation, expression, and
association
• freedom from exploitation – for decent work

6. LGBTI and economic growth
• The cost of exclusion and persecution of sexual minorities
– The Economic Cost of Homophobia & The Exclusion of
LGBT People: A Case Study of India
M.V. Badgett, Ph.D.; February 2014
• “As is the case with discrimination against women, or racial
minorities, or migrants or other disadvantaged groups;
discrimination against LGBT people leads to exclusion, a
waste of human potential, a loss of creative talent, and a
loss of productive capacity. Ultimately, it undermines our
2030 Agenda and the sustainable development goals
elaborated therein.”
Mogens Lykketoft, President of the 70th
session
of the United Nations General Assembly

7. But “LGBTI” is so confusing!
• Getting on the same page
– framing our thinking about lesbian, gay, bisexual,
transgender, intersex, allies
• “queer”
• about the freedom to be yourself (orientation and identity)
• not about sexual behavior between consenting adults
– essential vocabulary and glossaries
• Sexual minorities
– L,G,B,T,I,Q = big differences, significant overlaps
– SOGI or SOGIE
• sexual orientation + gender identity (+ gender expression)
• A “choice”? A “lifestyle”? A “Western agenda”?

8. What do “these people” want?
• Development priorities for LGBTI persons and
organizations (1)
– staying alive and safe
• valuing (instead of targeting) diversity
• normalizing and celebrating differences
– “agency” and autonomy
• local leadership and decision-making with international support
• “nothing about us without us”- having voice
• letting each “letter” speak for itself
– well-informed and caring allies
• building solidarity among people concerned about and committed to
human dignity, human rights, and social justice
• building on the “contact theory”

9. Development priorities for LGBTI persons
and organizations (2)
– justice and rule of law
• decriminalization of homosexuality
• legalization of gender identity/names for transgender
persons who have transitioned
• ending police harassment and judicial bias
• a legal right to organize as civil society
– access to health services
• routine health care services – without stigma
• HIV/AIDS, STDs – but without pathologization or stigma
• counseling and social work
• gender transition (hormones, gender confirmation)

10. Development priorities for LGBTI persons
and organizations (3)
– access to education and employment
• poverty alleviation and escape from the “poverty trap”
• ending bullying
• creating sustainable and decent livelihoods
– a tolerant cultural/social/institutional environment
• ending stigma, discrimination, exclusion, and violence (GBV)
• ending media bias and misinformation
– ending political scapegoating
– social/legal recognition of same-sex relationships
– mainstreaming LGBTI consciousness in public
policy

11. Development priorities for LGBTI persons
and organizations (4)
– community strengthening and resilience
• freedom of association and assembly
• capacity strengthening of LGBTI NGOs
– management and accounting
– fundraising
– self-protection, safety, and security
– media relations
– advocacy, promotion, and participation
– information technology
– data collection and management

12. But…!
• “Push back,” and other concerns (1)
– LGBTI as a “low priority” compared to other needs
• allocation of scarce development resources
– LGBTI issues “irrelevant to economic growth”
– LGBTI emergencies
• extremes of violence, threats, and persecution
• domestic violence and honor killings
• recurrence
– LGBTI and the “data desert”
• lack of funding for research = lack of data for evaluation
• lack of clarity and consensus on terminology and indicators
– LGBTI refugees and asylum seekers

13. “Push back” and other concerns (2)
– LGBTI and opposition from some faith-based
organizations
• sensitivity toward the values of many FBOs who partner with the
Bank on poverty alleviation
– “invisibility” of transgender and intersex
• “gay” and the conflation of sexual orientation and gender identity
• transgender men as a forgotten population
• transgender sex workers
– genderqueer, rejecting the binary
• cultural meanings/constraints attached to traditional gender roles
– “cultural accommodation” of LGBTI
• hijra or Khwaja Saraa
• Thailand’s “ladyboys” or katoey
• third gender – a blessing or a curse?
• “women-space” as a lesbian refuge
• MSM - men who have sex with men

14. 4 examples of successful interventions
• “Injustice at Every Turn: A Report of the National
Transgender Discrimination Survey”
– first comprehensive data baseline of conditions affecting
transgender persons in the United States
• published in 2011 by the National Center for Transgender Equality
and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
• USAID’s new partnership with the National Gay
and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
– furthers LGBTI entrepreneurship and SME development by
addressing economic discrimination
– creates an avenue for U.S. businesses to become trading and
strategic partners with LGBTI owners in Mexico, Colombia and
Peru
– $4m

15. Examples of successful interventions
• LGBT Global Development Partnership
– substantial evidence in many developing countries that
discrimination and violence against LGBTI people create
economic harms for individuals
• by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency,
USAID, the Astraea Lesbian Foundation for Justice, the Gay &
Lesbian Victory Institute, the Williams Institute, and Olivia
Companies
• found empirical evidence that discrimination against LGBTI also
affects a country’s economic performance
– $20 million public-private partnership that spans more than 15
countries
• 2012-2016

16. Examples of successful interventions
• Being LGBT in Asia
– by the UNDP, with USAID and UNESCO support
• collaboration with civil society and national/regional institutions
– advance protective laws and policies
– empower civil society to overcome stigma, bullying, and discrimination
• supports policy, research, and strategy development among
vulnerable groups
• unpacks the letters “LGBTI”
• supports LGBTI networks and advocates:
– the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus (ASC)
– the Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN)
– US$8 million, 2014-2017
• China, Indonesia, Philippines, and Thailand
• focusing on HIV, health, and democratic governance

17. Three “take-away” conclusions
• LGBTI people and their organizations are not
demanding any “special” rights or priority funding
– LGBTI people simply want to be recognized for their human
dignity, and to have their universal human rights and
development aspirations respected like anyone else’s
• We cannot simply treat the “symptoms” of LGBTI
exclusion and persecution, but must actively
promote inclusive societies and institutions
– Emergency assistance on its own is not a solution
– Societal attitudes must change, research must be carried out,
and programming must be funded
• The needs of LGBTI persons are both urgent and
extreme
– LGBTI people must be at the center of resolving these needs