African Queer Youth Initiative

African Queer Youth Initiative

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Last update: May 31, 2023 Last update: May 31, 2023
General
Jobs
Shortlists/Awards
Pricing strategy
Partners/Competitors

Details

Legal residence:Nigeria
Types:NGONGO
Funding agencies:Other
Sectors:Advocacy, Gender, Human Rights, Humanitarian Aid & ... See moreAdvocacy, Gender, Human Rights, Humanitarian Aid & Emergency, Social Development, Youth
Nr. of employees:201-500
Sanctions:Check now
Status:Active

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About

Since its founding in 2015, African Queer Youth Initiative has been putting young people at the forefront of advocacy efforts to advance LGBT+ equality and elevate their voices on issues that directly affect them, thereby eliminating all forms of tokenism. AQYI continues to sponsor and support African LGBT+ youths' participation at relevant spaces like the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, the International AIDS conference, and the 2020 International HIV Conference for Key Population organized by Mpact. AQYI's members are also being consulted within different foras like the Movement for Democracy, International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organisation (IGLYO), and a recent convening of global LGBT+ youth organizations' working groups to provide insight and representation for African queer youths and their issues. AQYI's work is rooted in the core belief that to solve the challenges facing African queer youths; these young people must be given the right tools and platform to demand their rights.

Creating opportunities for African queer youths is also one of the significant cornerstones of AQYI's work. This led to creation of an opportunities platform (www.opportunitypoint.org) for disseminating information on relevant opportunities for queer youths in Africa. Opportunity Point also serves as a platform for encouraging a connection between LGBT+ youth in the region. Furthermore, as the internet continues to serve as a place of opportunities and engagement for LGBT+ youths, other young people, and everyone else, the AQYI 2019 launched the Fueling Digital Activism training. This project aims to fuel impactful, creative, non-violent youth activism for LGBT+ rights in Africa with initial training and step-down activities conducted in East Africa in 2019 and then followed by west Africa, Southern Africa, and North Africa in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Furthermore, as a direct support process to LGBT+ youths to facilitate country activities and small projects, AQYI provided small grants and capacity support to queer youth activists in Ivory Coast, Uganda, and Morocco Togo. Moreover, as these crucial works continue to take root and inspire change, they face unprecedented threats online and in person.

Following the need to support francophone LBTQ womxn in the west, we launched the Mawulisa fellowship program to support participants in designing and implementing projects that address specific issues affecting LBTQ womxn in their local community – through capacity building, mentorship, and financial support for project implementation. While understanding the economic gap within our community and the need to empower queer youths economically and boost their self-esteem and social skills, we launched the Zimuzo Mentorship Program to support young queer people through a 6months mentoring experience under established professionals within their chosen fields.

Further to the programs above, and to ensure the digital safety and security of African queer youths and their organizations, the AQYI (in collaboration with Out-in-Tech) developed Safequeers, a digital security platform to support and empower community members working in most at-risk areas anywhere around the world.

Despite our efforts and initiatives, more must be done to secure and carry forward the successes and achievements of LGBT+ youths and the broader movement.

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