The Steinberg Graff Fund for International LGBTQI Rights
"We are excited to partner with GiveOut to support grassroots organisations around the world that are fighting for fundamental rights and freedoms for our community. As part of the generation who saw our rights transformed over the past twenty-five years, from the end of Section 28 to marriage equality, we are committed to supporting groups that are working to bring that kind of transformational change to their own local communities."
The Steinberg-Graff Fund for International LGBTQI Rights has been established to support LGBTQI organisations campaigning for legal reform and human rights protections in some of the places where it’s hardest to be LGBTQI.
Managed by GiveOut, the Fund is generously sponsored by Jon Steinberg and Josh Graff
Jon joined Google in 2012 and is now Director of Policy Campaigns, leading advocacy efforts on technology regulation. Previously, he worked in public affairs at Portland and served as Deputy Communications Director for US Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, with experience on high-profile political campaigns, including those of John Kerry and Hillary Clinton.
Josh joined LinkedIn in 2011 and is now Vice President & Managing Director for EMEA & LATAM, overseeing member growth, strategic partnerships, and the global Enterprise sales team for LinkedIn’s advertising business. A passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, he has been recognised as a leading LGBT+ champion and serves as Executive Sponsor for LinkedIn’s LGBT+ Employee Resource Group, among other advocacy roles.
Advancing LGBTQI Human Rights
Around the world LGBTQI people lack basic legal protections and face grave human rights violations. International human rights laws obligate states to promote and protect the human rights of all persons without discrimination, yet LGBTQI people are frequently excluded from this.
Private, consensual same-sex sexual activity is still criminalised in 63 jurisdictions, at least 12 of these implement the death penalty, and the gender identity and expression of transgender people is criminalised in 14 countries. Only 5% of United Nations member states prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in their constitutions, and just 14 countries globally have banned so-called “conversion therapy”.
LGBTQI people living in places where they lack legal protections risk arrest, blackmail, extortion, stigma, discrimination, and violence. And a growing international backlash against recent advances in LGBTQI human rights is threatening to roll-back existing protections.
In response, LGBTQI organisations are working to ensure that the human rights of their communities are enshrined in law. But they lack sustainable funding and resources – especially in the Global South and East.
How the Fund Works
Recognising this need, the Steinberg-Graff Fund for International LGBTQI Rights has been established with GiveOut to support LGBTQI organisations working to advance the legal rights of their communities around the world.
Individuals and businesses can donate to support the Fund with GiveOut, which pools the donations to make grants to a small number of partners pursuing deep, systemic change to ensure that the human rights of all LGBTQI people are protected and respected. Through a rigorous process of consultation, due diligence and vetting GiveOut identifies grant partners under the Fund, which form part of GiveOut’s overall portfolio of grants to support LGBTQI human rights activism worldwide.
This Fund is Supporting
Donate to the Steinberg-Graff Fund
To make a donation to the Fund, please click the button below. Jon and Josh warmly welcome donations from individuals and businesses who would like to support the Fund. For any questions, to discuss how you or your business can get involved, or to donate via bank transfer, please contact GiveOut’s philanthropy team at give@giveout.org.