Nepal's LGBTQ+ campaign has been hit after U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration began dismantling the U.S. Agency for International Development, which was responsible for humanitarian aid.
Most of the help centers for Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community have been closed because of a lack of funds. Thousands of people have been left without support.
In the past few years, Nepal’s LGBTQ+ community made rapid advancements in securing their rights. The nation became one of the first in Asia to allow same sex-sex marriage. The constitution adopted in 2015 explicitly stated there can be no discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.
The U.S. was among the biggest donors for the LGBTQ+ rights campaign.
Over the years, USAID and others stepped in and partnered with help centers to support initiatives like HIV prevention and care, and safe-sex counselling. The U.S. funds were vital for running the centers and clinics that helped with distributing free condoms, screenings and follow-up treatment for people with HIV. Now the USAID office in Nepal is closed.
“Because of the cut in funding many of the services we have been providing to the community have been hit badly, but we are not discouraged but are hopeful we will get alternative sources and fundings to help us restart those services,” said Simran Sherchan, a LGBTQ+ rights activist in the rally.