AFRICA

Association de Defense de l'Homosexualité (Douala, Cameroon) promotes and defends the human rights of sexual minorities in Cameroon. Members—including attorney Alice Nkom—worked with others to support and secure the release of the Yaounde 11 who were arbitrarily arrested and detained in May 2005 on charges of homosexuality. $6,000

Center for Popular Education and Human Rights Ghana (Accra, Ghana) operates in a hostile social and political context where same-sex relationships are still criminalized. Using a multi-strategy approach, including community-building, theater performances and alliance-building, CEPEHRG advocates for the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, and gay, lesbian, bisexual and same-gender loving people in Ghana. Initiated as a youth and human rights project, CEPEHRG has since launched historic initiatives promoting sexual rights, including: Ghana's first-ever gay and lesbian film festival, development of a report of LGB Ghanaian experiences and formation of a lesbian group. $7,000

Coalition of African Lesbians (Windhoek, Namibia) promotes lesbian visibility and equality across Africa. With a network of organizations in eleven African countries, CAL is working to build the organizing and advocacy capacity of its member organizations. Grant supports development of communication and networking tools, including a website, electronic newsletters and a database of lesbian related issues and resources in Africa. $10,000

Sierra Leone Lesbian and Gay Association (Freetown, Sierra Leone) fights discrimination and works to secure equal rights for all LGBT people. Continuing the legacy of its founder, Fannyann Eddy—who was brutally murdered in 2004—the Association provides education, counseling and support for its members. This grant will help this volunteer-run organization hire its first paid staff person. $8,000

Tanzania Lesbian Association (Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania) operates through regional chapters and works to improve the lives of lesbians throughout the country. TALESA organized Tanzania's first national lesbian conference in 2004, and has continued to build a broad grassroots base and strategic alliances to secure full equal rights and an end to discrimination against lesbians. $9,000

Women's Leadership Centre (Windhoek, Namibia) is a feminist organization that advances the rights of all women through the promotion of a human rights culture. Using writing as their primary tool for visibility and analysis, WLC works across lines of race, class, sexuality and geography. Grant is for production and publication of an anthology of Namibian lesbian women's writings. $6,000

ASIA/PACIFIC

Alyansa Ng Pogresibon Ng Lesbian Sa Pilipinas (Quezon City, Philippines) believes that lesbian rights and self-determination are intrinsically connected to economic justice. PROLESB works with low-income and working-class women on issues of sexual orientation, anti-discrimination and economic opportunities. The group operates nationwide, with chapters currently developing outside the capital region. $3,000

Blue Diamond Society (Kathmandu, Nepal) works to improve the health, human rights and well-being of metis, gay men, bisexuals, lesbians and other sexual minorities in Nepal. Grant supports Mitini, the first LBT women's group in Nepal. With Blue Diamond Society's support, Mitini is close to becoming an autonomous organization. This past year Mitini has participated in local radio interviews, developed a crisis and resource hotline, and educated 150 members on issues of sexual health and rights, lesbian identity and political participation. $4,000

Equal Ground (Colombo, Sri Lanka) uses a feminist and human rights framework to address legal and cultural discrimination against LGBTIQ people in Sri Lanka. Founded in 2004, Equal Ground is Sri Lanka's first multi-gender LGBTIQ organization and has published a handbook on LGBTIQ rights. $3,000

Institut Perempuan (Bandung, Indonesia) works on behalf of all Indonesian women to end discrimination, exploitation, violence and oppression. Grant supports their lesbian project which will train activists to eliminate discrimination and violence against lesbians. $4,000

Korean Sexual Minority Culture and Rights Center (Seoul, Korea) is Korea's first center for sexual minorities, people living with HIV/AIDS and supporters of sexual minorities. KSCRC's work for LGBTQI/Iban people has included hosting the nation's first lesbian art exhibition and providing training to help lesbian activists launch LezPa (the first lesbian radio program aired by Korean mainstream media). Grant supports the Queer 2010: Making Her/His-story of LGBTQI, which will document Korean LGBTQI history and build the commitment of other human rights organizations to incorporate gender, gender identity and sexuality in their work. $4,000

Sangini (India) Trust (New Delhi, India) uses counseling, community support and education to advance lesbian rights. In addition to coordinating the longest-running LBT women's support program in India, Sangini has published a legal handbook on LGBT rights, trained other LBT support groups, and launched an adolescent health and sexual rights program for young women. Grant is for their Counseling and Community Support Program for lesbian, bisexual, non-identifying women and transgender people. $3,000

Vikalp (Vadodara, India) is a feminist organization that works in urban, rural and tribal areas of Gujarat to combat violence faced by women of poor and oppressed castes. With Astraea as their first institutional funder in 2001. Vikalp has since published a book documenting the life stories of working class lesbians in Gujarat, developed a resource center for LGBT people, and provided support for national organizing against discrimination based on sexual orientation. Grant supports expansion of their LGBT Parma Resource Center. $4,000

Women's Action for Change/Sexual Minorities Project (Suva, Fiji Islands) works to defend and promote the human rights of LGBT people in Fiji. Informed by feminist principles, WAC/SMP has been a pioneering force in the Pacific, conducting a groundbreaking needs assessment of LGBT people and advocating for non-discrimination and improved services from governmental institutions. Grant supports the Sexual Minorities Project's transition to become an autonomous organization, providing services, community-building events and conducting research and advocacy on behalf of LGBT people. $6,000

EASTERN EUROPE/COMMONWEALTH OF INDEPENDENT STATES

Bulgarian Gay Organization Gemini (Sofia, Bulgaria) is the only LGBT organization in Bulgaria. Their public campaigns led to the 2002 repeal of Article 157 of the Bulgarian Penal Code, which criminalized homosexuality. Grant supports the launch of their FLAME (Fair Labor Attitude- Measurable Equality) Project, seeking LGBT labor rights and anti-discrimination policies in the workplace. $3,000

Deve (Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro) is a lesbian-led organization that preserves and promotes LGBTI history and culture through education, research, production and translation of critical texts, and promotion of lesbian art. Deve's work creates visibility of lesbian and LGBTI lives, and provides an important complement to other organizing efforts in Serbia & Montenegro. $4,000

Labris (Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro) uses organizing, coalition-building and community education to end violence and discrimination against lesbians, GBT people and other oppressed communities in Serbia. Astraea's grant will support the development of a lesbian rights network that will monitor key sectors affecting the lives of lesbians and GBT people, including media, non-governmental organizations and psychologists. $8,000

Labrisz Leszbikus Egyesület (Budapest, Hungary) is the only lesbian organization in Hungary. In addition to organizing Hungary's first lesbian cultural festival, Labrisz conducts consciousness-raising workshops for women in rural areas and provides LGBT education in high schools. $4,000

Labrys LBT Group (Bishkek, Kyrgystan) was formed after a group of women were thrown out of a café because two of them kissed. The fi rst LBT group in Central Asia, Labrys runs an LBT resource center, issues a bimonthly magazine and coordinates a Trans support group. Grant is for Phoenix Project, which will train human rights NGOs and university students on sexual and gender rights. $4,000

Porozumienie Lesbijek (LBT)/ Lesbian Coalition LBT (Warsaw, Poland) is the only LBT women's organization in Poland. Employing creative and engaging strategies, they work to debunk stereotypes and fight discrimination against LGBT people. In Poland—a country where Catholicism already strongly influences the state—the Polish right wing is gaining increasing strength. Grant is for the Homophobia Disease Center, which uses street theater and other creative actions throughout the country to increase acceptance of LGBT people. $4,000

Queer Beograd (Belgrade, Serbia & Montenegro) is firmly committed to creating a better world for all marginalized people. Their feminist, anti-racist, anti-fascist and anti-capitalist perspective informs their multi-issue queer work. They collaborate with advocates for Roma women, host anti-prison and gentrification advocates and support Palestinian rights. $3,000

SKUC-LL (Ljubljana, Slovenia) was the first lesbian-led activist group formed in Eastern Europe. The only organization of its kind in Slovenia, their successful organizing resulted in the adoption of a national domestic partnership law. SKUC-LL has produced lesbian-focused radio programs, magazines and books and helped create sexuality/queer studies in universities. Grant supports the salary of a coordinator for their LGBT library and archive project. $5,000

Stowarzyszeniie Kobiet KONSOLA (Poznan, Poland) is the only lesbian-inclusive feminist organization in Poland. Located in a non-metropolitan area, KONSOLA works to end discrimination and violence against all women. Using education as its primary strategy, this group organizes conferences, conducts "Know Your Rights" and antidiscrimination trainings and provides political education that links sexism and lesbo/homophobia. KONSOLA's first Lesbian Empowerment training in late 2004 resulted in the creation of Porozumienie Lesbijek/LBT—the fi rst lesbian group in Poland (and a new Astraea grantee). Grant supports development of their Lesbian Empowerment II Project. $4,000

Unity (Barnaul, Russia) provides the only space for support, culture and advocacy for lesbians in the Altai region. Other non-governmental organizations, including those that are feminist, have refused to work with a lesbian group. Undeterred, Unity continues its mission to build a lesbian rights movement, hosting a hotline, raising consciousness and distributing publications. Grant supports the development of an Internet Center for Lesbians, a venue for lesbians to connect with one another without fear of being monitored or attacked. $4,000

LATIN AMERICA & THE CARIBBEAN

Aireana (Asunción, Paraguay), the first lesbian organization in Paraguay, works nationally to end sexist and anti- LGBT prejudice and discrimination. Since its founding in 2003, Aireana's accomplishments have included: providing lesbian feminist meeting and support spaces, and organizing an LGBT film festival. They have secured media visibility in feminist and mainstream outlets and organized a campaign for the creation of an Inter-American Convention on Sexual and Reproductive Rights. $8,000

Associacão Lésbica de Minas (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) is an organization of Afro-descendant working-class lesbians organizing in the conservative state of Minas Gérais. Committed to lesbian visibility in different social movements, this group works at the grassroots level using a community education and leadership development strategy to address issues of poverty, racism, HIV/AIDS, discrimination and violence. Most recently, ALEM has worked with public schools to develop a chapter of young lesbians. $4,000

Centro de Documentacão e Informacão Coisa de Mulher (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), a feminist organization, is the founder of the COLERJ (Colectivo de Lesbicas de Rio de Janeiro) project, the first Black lesbian group in Latin America. Through its coordination of regional political efforts, CEDOICOM convenes lesbians throughout Rio and Southeastern Brazil. Their work is wide ranging, including the expansion of public visibility and media, to programming for queer women in prison. Grant is for support of COLERJ. $4,000

Colectiva de Lesbianas Liberadas Lesbiradas (Guatemala City, Guatemala) works to consolidate and strengthen the lesbian movement in Guatemala, encourage lesbian visibility, and organize around sexist and homophobic discrimination and violence against all women. Grounded in radical feminist politics, Lesbiradas is well-known for creative and courageous tactics, including public kiss-ins to raise the visibility of lesbians. In the coming year, Lesbiradas will expand their work to include the formation of a lesbian feminist school, monitoring and documentation of human rights violations and development of a resource guide. $5,000

Comunidad Gay Sampedrana (San Pedro Sula, Honduras) works to defend the human rights of LGTB people in San Pedro Sula. They provide HIV/AIDS/STD education and holistic health services and host Mujer Sin Límite, a lesbian and bisexual women's group. Soon to be its own organization. Mujer Sin Límite provides community education, a hotline and other programs in a country where many feminist groups still refuse to work with lesbians. $3,000

Corporación Triángulo Negro (Bogotá, Colombia) was the first lesbian organization in Colombia. Since 1996, this feminist organization has provided a support, cultural and advocacy space for lesbian and bisexual women. They educate and mobilize their constituency through weekly workshops and an interactive website and collaborate with LGBT activists throughout the country, the region and internationally. $3,000

Desdenosotras—La Casa del Encuentro (Buenos Aires, Argentina) is an activist cultural center run by and for lesbians over the age of 40. In addition to maintaining a growing community center and establishing a lesbian/feminist magazine, Desdenosotras uses direct action and political education to advance campaigns for lesbian rights and related issues, including the struggle for reproductive justice. $5,000

Divagaciones Bajo la Luna (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is Astraea's first grantee in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 2002, this literary and cultural collective of Dominican lesbians works to increase dialogue, visibility and empowerment through the development and showcasing of literature and other art forms. Grant is for the production and publication of the first bilingual anthology of voices and images of Dominican lesbians in the island and the Diaspora. $4,000

Ekipa-Comisión Organizadora Encuentro Lésbico Feminista de Latino América y el Caribe-Chile 2007 (Santiago, Chile) is preparing to host the 7th Encuentro Lésbico Feminista de Latinoamérica y El Caribe in 2007. The Encuentros are a mainstay of lesbian and feminist organizing in the Latin American and Caribbean region. As hundreds of women come together to examine, debate and plan, the Encuentros have sparked the formation of many new groups. They create an opportunity for visibility, strategizing, leadership development and networking of lesbian activists. $6,000

Grupo de Mujeres de la Argentina (Buenos Aires, Argentina) leads work on issues affecting LGBT prisoners in Argentina. In addition to national organizing to improve prison conditions for incarcerated LGBT people, Grupo de Mujeres de la Argentina also advocates at regional and international levels to address homophobic and transphobic discrimination and human rights violations faced by LGBT prisoners, as well as issues of concern to those living with HIV/AIDS. $4,000

Grupo de Mujeres Safo (Managua, Nicaragua) uses a human rights framework to engage Nicaragua's public and policymakers around lesbian and LGBTI issues. They operate and have just set up an independent office in the only Latin American country which still criminalizes consensual same-sex relations. In addition to providing an array of social services to its members, they've launched a radio advertising campaign which aired in national media outlets, and organized a national lesbian forum. $3,000

Instituto Runa de Desarrollo y Estudios Sobre Género (Lima, Perú) is a feminist human rights organization that conducts community research, monitoring and education on social and economic justice issues facing young people, women and trans communities. Grant supports their Human Rights in The Trans Population Project, focusing on exposing human rights violations against trans women, particularly sex workers who often experience state violence. $3,000

Minas de Cor—Espaco de Cidadania e Cultura (Sao Paulo, Brazil) is a feminist and anti-racist organization, located on the outskirts of Sao Paulo. The group organizes low-income Black lesbians and advances social change through community-building, education and networking. Grant is for the first-ever national Black lesbian conference, which will develop a common platform and unified strategy to improve the conditions of Black lesbians in Brazil. $7,000

Movimento Lésbico De Campinas (Campinas, Brazil) is a feminist organization run by and for lesbian and bisexual women in Campinas, working on healthcare, education and workplace issues. The group is committed to the belief that cultural work is a critical strategy for social change. Coinciding with the National Day of Lesbian Visibility, they have twice mounted a lesbian art exhibit at the local museum and are preparing for a third. Grant supports their 3rd Lesbian Art Exhibit, showcasing lesbians throughout world history, especially in Brazil. $5,000

Mujeres Al Borde (Bogotá, Colombia) is at the forefront of organizing for change and building community power in Colombia. Although a new organization, their accomplishments are many, already having developed theatre and film pieces and a lesbian radio soap opera. Translating to "Women on the Edge," Mujeres Al Borde has also served as communications coordinator for a national LGBT roundtable and has organized a national network of LBT women's groups. $5,000

Mujeres y Cultura Subterránea (México City, México) works with and for marginalized queer women throughout the outskirts of México City. Focusing primarily on young queer women, the group uses visual and written tools (including the book El Callejón de las Vírgenes de Safo, which Astraea supported in 2001) to promote sexual diversity and fight discrimination against women. Grant supports the production of the documentary Lunas de Pasión, which will focus on urban lesbian realities. $4,000

Organización Ecuatoriana de Mujeres Lesbianas (Quito, Ecuador) works to ensure that the value of equality underlying the country's Constitution is a reality for lesbians and LGBT people. Their very existence has been challenged by the government, which attempted to deny them recognition as a legitimate civil society organization. With a strong feminist analysis, the group provides political education and builds strategic alliances with other organizations. Their magazine Existencias Lesbianas educates and mobilizes lesbians to demand their human rights. Grant is for their Lesbian Empowerment Project, which will train new activists on leadership, policy and political participation. $3,000

Proyecto Colombia Diversa (Bogotá, Colombia) is a national organization working for the full inclusion, respect, recognition and mobilization of LGBT people. This group works in coalition within multiple movements for equality, especially with the feminist movement. In addition to offering civil rights legal assistance, they monitor media and participation in academic forums. $5,000

Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores y Trabajadoras Lesbianas, Gays y Bisexuales (Santiago, Chile) works to emphasize the labor rights of LGB workers in practically every unionized industry in Chile. Unlike any other labor union in Chile, the organization's main goal is to remove discrimination against non-heterosexual workers. Grant supports their Education in Sexuality project, which educates labor leaders on sexuality, sexual health and sexual rights issues. $3,000

Trans-Ser—Red de apoyo a Transgeneristas (Bogotá, Colombia) is a feminist lesbian-led transgender organization.Trans-Ser uses community education, media work and research to provide support to the transgender community and allies, and organize for LGBT anti-discrimination. Some of Trans-Ser's most exciting work is in schools, where they work to counter youth hostility to gender transgression in the student body. $4,000

MIDDLE EAST

Aswat-Palestinian Gay Women (Haifa, Israel) provides a safe space and serves as a critical resource for Palestinian women who self-identify as lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, transgender or intersex throughout Israel and Palestine (the Occupied Territories). They raise the profile of Palestinian gay women's issues and address the intersections of gender, sexuality and nationality through education, media and advocacy. Aswat was honored with the International Gay & Lesbian Human Rights Commission's 2006 Felipa de Souza Award. $8,000

Hemaya Lebnaneya Lil Milthayeen (Beirut, Lebanon) is a membership-based organization that seeks to eliminate legal, social and cultural discrimination faced by Lebanon's LGBT community. Helem (the Arabic acronym of "Lebanese Protection for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and Transgenders"), has been a pioneering force in Lebanon, with accomplishments including: co-publishing (with LaCDTheque) the first Arabic-language book on homophobia, submitting a shadow report at the 2006 United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS (UNGASS) and operating a community center responsive to the needs of their local community. $5,000