UNFPA works to achieve gender equality through the power of healthcare and education. But too often, the LGBTQ+ community is excluded from these conversations about sexual and reproductive health.

UNFPA is working tirelessly to change this narrative — and this Pride month, we want to shine a spotlight on this work.

We’ve sat down with LGBTQ+ community leaders around the world to understand their struggles, their joys, and how we could better support their communities — in places like the Amazon.

Gaby had always dreamed of becoming a stylist in Peru — but being an Indigenous trans woman meant the odds of leaving her remote town in the rainforest were stacked against her.

“For me, as a trans woman, it wasn’t easy. I had to endure insults and mistreatment just for being different.”

Thanks to our supporters, UNFPA was able to support Gaby’s objective of studying cosmetology in Lima. Our Nuwa Senchi project, which provides women with protection against violence and essential services, helped Gaby learn more about her rights and become an advocate for all women in her community.

In Bhutan, Tshering always knew that she was trans. But she delayed transitioning for longer than she wanted due to social pressure. When she came out, she was rejected by not only her family but her school as well.

“Education is the key to unlocking potential, and every transgender person deserves the right to access it without fear of discrimination. Ensuring that transgender individuals have equal opportunities in education is essential for building a more inclusive and equitable society,” Tshering shared with us.

Today, Tshering is a leader among the transgender community in Bhutan, working with community members to urge them to access healthcare and share resources for violence. UNFPA is supporting Tshering’s work by helping to connect Bhutan’s LGBTQ+ community with sexual and reproductive care, as well as violence response services.

More work must be done to build a future where every single person is not only safe but treated as an equal.

Will you make a gift to advance equality by delivering lifesaving care to women and girls — including members of the LGBTQ+ in the regions where they are most vulnerable?

Thanks to support from our donors, we’re making progress toward this goal every day. But our work isn’t complete until every last person has been reached with the sexual and reproductive care they need.

Thank you for supporting these critical efforts.

— USA for UNFPA