Written by: Linda Quamar

EnCompass is continually honored to support USAID’s commitment to promote the rights and inclusion of marginalized communities worldwide. Our democracy and human rights (DRG) work around the world thrives when it’s focused on social and political inclusion to ensure the most underrepresented communities enjoy the same human dignity and benefit from our democratic institutions. At the forefront of this effort are the LGBTQI+ rights advocates and allies – both from within USAID and among our countless partners – who are championing the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) people around the world and meaningfully including them in DRG programming.  

Inclusive development is not just a moral necessity, but a logical prerequisite for progress. When development efforts fail to include our societies’ most marginalized, we run the risk of not only excluding those who most need support, but also entrenching existing inequalities. USAID proudly promotes the following groups’ rights through its innovative Inclusive Development Hub: children in adversity, people with disabilities, indigenous peoples, people with mental health issues, youth, and LGBTQI+ people.  

Last year, with support from the Generating Results in our Work and Thought Leadership (GROWTH) Activity, implemented by EnCompass, USAID released a new e-learning course and mini podcast series to advance the understanding of LGBTQI+ inclusion both in the workplace and in our programs. These courses, in the form of an interactive e-magazine, address the many U.S. government policies and practices that make USAID a more inclusive place to work through video interviews with USAID staff from the LGBTQI+ community. These interviews bring LGBTQI+ issues and concern to life through the lived experiences and stories of our USAID peers. 

This year, through the Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning for Sustainability (MELS) Activity in Peru, we supported USAID to conduct a Population Assessment in Peru and Ecuador. The study findings were published in March 2023, which identified a set of needs, issues, and their causes regarding access to health, economic opportunities, and civic and political engagement that (1) affect the LGBTQI+ community and that (2) could be addressed using international development assistance that focuses on LGBTQI+ people as recipients and partners of the work. 

EnCompass brings a passionate commitment to this issue and looks forward to continued partnerships with the U.S. government and other public and private agencies to collectively act on the commitment to inclusive development and the protection of human rights of LGBTQI+ communities.