PSAC’s Social Justice Fund is proud to support the Stephen Lewis Foundation’s Partners in Pride program with a donation that will help fund the health and human rights of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in sub-Saharan Africa. The contribution aligns with the 2023 Pride season, an annual celebration of the progress we’ve made, and a reminder of the work that still lies ahead for 2SLGBTQIA+ communities. 

The Stephen Lewis Foundation launched the Partners in Pride program in May 2020 with a goal to raise $3 million in three years and reach 100,000 2SLGBTQIA+ people per year. In collaboration with partner organizations, they provide essential services such as HIV prevention and care, legal support, and psychosocial assistance. 

Other examples of their important work include: 

• Delivering life-saving medications to people living with HIV; 
• Providing vital mental health support and housing assistance to individuals facing violence and abuse while sheltering with transphobic and homophobic family members; 
• Providing safety to activists and their partners who face very real threats of violence from anti-2SLGBTQIA+ movements; and 
• Supporting operational costs to ensure the long-term sustainability of their grassroots partner organizations. 

The challenges faced by 2SLGBTQIA+ communities in sub-Saharan Africa are immense and include a fear of utilizing healthcare services due to transphobia and homophobia. In countries where their lives are criminalized, discrimination and violence remain prevalent, leading to a disproportionate impact on HIV rates.  

Past support from PSAC’s Social Justice Fund has had a real impact, enabling community-based partner programs in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to reach more than 40,000 people. This latest donation will ensure the work of empowering and uplifting 2SLGBTQIA+ people and organizations in the region continues. 

The PSAC Social Justice Fund was created in 2003 to fight the social and economic inequities that impact the lives of workers and people in Canada and around the world. The promotion of the right to decent work, quality public services, human rights, and equity are cornerstones of the PSAC Social Justice Fund. 

Photo: Sexual Minorities Uganda - SMUG