Unlocking economic empowerment for LGBTIQ+ communities: Overcoming barriers and sharing successes

November 12, 2024

Free to Be Me’s Economic Empowerment Pathway demonstrates a more targeted approach to tackling the economic marginalization of LGBTIQ+ communities, especially in the Global South, amidst post-COVID economic challenges and the intensification of anti-rights movements. It aligns the advocacy efforts toward policy change, skills development, and job creation with both global and national actors, specifically targeting institutions like the World Bank and International Finance Corporation (IFC) as well as select multinational companies.

Key goals

1. 1. Global and National Advocacy with the World Bank Group (WBG): The main objective is to push the WBG to commit to including sexual and gender minorities in its economic empowerment programs, including those tied to the IDA 21 framework and country diagnostics.
   2. Corporate Engagement: The strategy includes targeting multinational corporations, particularly through Accenture, to foster inclusion in corporate economic empowerment initiatives and supplier diversity programs. This extends beyond traditional advocacy for workplace diversity to include broader support for LGBTIQ+-owned small businesses, mentorships, internships, and entrepreneurial programs.
   3. Community-Level Pilot Initiatives: At the grassroots, community-driven pilots will work to address socio-cultural barriers inhibiting queer participation in economic activities. Building community networks and reinforcing social capital are critical to overcoming both internalized stigmas and external societal discrimination.

Context and rationale

LGBTIQ+ people, especially youth, have been doubly impacted by both the global economic downturn and the surge in anti-LGBTIQ+ policies and cultural sentiments, particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia. Economic marginalization leads to a cycle of poverty, further excluding queer individuals from opportunities to access training, jobs, and entrepreneurial growth.

The focus on economic empowerment arises from the realization that fighting social and cultural barriers is essential but also insufficient on its own. Economic independence, especially through jobs or entrepreneurship, offers a tangible route to autonomy and resilience against anti-LGBTIQ+ movements. Without active inclusion in economic frameworks, there is a risk of creating a “lost generation” of queer youth who are excluded from mainstream economic opportunities, deepening their vulnerability.