Stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identities and expressions limit LGBTQ+ people's access to basic services and become a barrier to the achievement of more just and inclusive societies. The multidimensional marginalization of LGBTQ+ people not only affects the individuals but also weakens the social fabric of our communities. In sight of this, the IDB focuses on gathering evidence and rigorous data on the socioeconomic gaps, and on the implementation of projects that address the main issues that affect this population group.
The IDB supports programs and initiatives that seek to close earning gaps and assure the LGBTQ+ people's inclusion in the labor market. This involves working with individuals to strengthen their skills and assisting companies in creating more inclusive workplaces. Skills certification programs, such as "Saber Hacer Vale" in Colombia, have an intersectional approach oriented at women, migrants, and LGBTQ+ individuals.
The Bank also promotes access to quality services such as health and education. We are supporting a project in Argentina to improve LGBTQ+ individuals’ access to comprehensive healthcare that involves identifying the barriers to accessing these services, developing care protocols, and providing training for healthcare personnel.
The Bank contributes to the development and implementation of tools and regulations that prevent and eradicate violence towards LGBTQ+ individuals.
The loan ProMujeres program in Uruguay strengthens gender-based violence prevention and response systems with a strong focus on lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women. The loan Integrated Violence Prevention and Reduction Program of the State of Ceará in Brazil supports the reduction of violence against women, youth, and LGBTQ+ people and the expansion of a Referral and support center for LGBTQ+ victims of violence. The IDB also has a regional technical cooperation that focuses exclusively on LGBTQ+ people and their interactions with security and justice institutions. It aims to deepen existing information on violence against LGBTQ+ and develop a standardized protocol for their attention.
Another important issue to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion is the availability of quality data on this population and the challenges they face. In the past two years, the IDB Group has supported the development of seven rigorous studies on LGBTQ+ issues with the aim of gaining a better understanding of the social and economic impact of stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identities.
In 2022, GDLab and RES co-organized a session at the 2022 Annual Meeting of the Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association (LACEA) dedicated exclusively to research on LGBTQ+ issues. This was the first time in the history of LACEA that a session on this topic was organized. Three studies on crucial issues, such as measuring the size of the LGBTQ+ population, discrimination in the rental housing market, and the role of media in shaping social perceptions of LGBTQ+ individuals, were presented at the meeting.
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