Deadline: 28-Feb-21
Rainbow Advocacy Program (RAP), implemented with kind support of ILGA World and Sida, is a 13-month-long fellowship for LGBTIQ+ activists from Global South and East to affect change at home through UN advocacy.
The program is visionary as well as unique in its approach to combining both the human rights and the development frameworks, especially the Agenda 2030. Participants will gain hands-on advocacy experience by engaging with UN processes, learning from experts and peers, and by implementing an advocacy project in their constituencies.
Rainbow Advocacy Program (RAP) is a unique opportunity for underrepresented LGBTIQ activists from the Global South and East to learn, network, collaborate and gain hands-on experience in UN advocacy.
With this situation in mind, RFSL, the Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer rights, has initiated the Rainbow Advocacy Program (RAP) aiming to address some of the manifold gaps and challenges. The program is informed by the results of the pre-study, which included an online survey, desk research and in-depth discussions with Global South and East LGBTIQ activists and other relevant actors.
Objectives
The main objective of the program is twofold: strengthen the advocacy capacity of LGBTIQ organizations from Global South and East and facilitate the participation of underrepresented groups in the international advocacy forums. In doing so, the program aims to:
- Provide a learning-by-doing opportunity to activists;
- Share knowledge, information, resources, network, and contacts;
- Provide access to UN advocacy spaces;
- Sustain UN engagement in an informed, effective and safe manner;
- Secure more spaces for the civil society at UN forums;
- Create a pool of community experts to engage in international advocacy.
Who can participate?
The targeted participants of RAP 2021 – 2022 are LGBTIQ activists from countries in the Global South and East as listed by the Development Assistance Committee (DAC). Applicants who are from DAC listed countries but living/working in another country are also welcome. You are eligible to apply for the Rainbow Advocacy Program if you:
- Are ready to commit to the full 13-month period of the program.
- Are from a country in Global South and East according to the list of Development Assistance Committee (DAC).
- Self-identify as part of the LGBTIQ+ community.
- Have 1-3 years of advocacy experience, locally, nationally, regionally or internationally.
- Have basic knowledge about international human rights mechanisms.
- Belong to an LGBTIQ organization.
- Have a role in the organization which includes advocacy work.
- Your organization is working or planning to work, with international advocacy as part of its strategy for the coming years.
- Can freely communicate in English, both in written and oral form.
- Priority will be given to underrepresented groups, especially women of color, trans, and intersex individuals from the regions.
Application Process
- Eligible applicants are welcome to fill out the online form, which cannot be saved but can be worked on for as long as the tab is open. So please make sure you have stable internet, power connection, and other documents ready before starting to fill out the form.
- Initial screening will be based on the quality of the application. Make sure to submit a complete application package including:
- the completed form, CV,
- one recommendation letter from the organization head,
- a proposal for the Learning on the Spot Advocacy project.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- Applicants selected during the initial screening will go through an oral interview in March 2021 before they are informed about the final selection in April 2021.
Timeline
- The first phase will tentatively take place from September 13 – 23, 2021 coinciding with the 43rd Human Rights Council session in Geneva, Switzerland.
- The following months will be the second phase i.e the implementation period of the LOTS advocacy project.
- The participants will reconvene for the third phase during the High-Level Political Forum in New York, the USA in July 2022.
For more information, visit https://www.rfsl.se/en/organisation/international/rainbow-advocacy-program/