New Report Documents Impact Of COVID-19 On Black LGBTIQ People Globally

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NEW YORK/PRNEWSWIRE - The Global Black Gay Men Connect (GBGMC) released "The Impact of COVID-19 on Black LGBTQI People", GBGMC's  inaugural report on the drastic impact COVID-19 is having on Black LGBTQI people globally.

Between April and May of this year, GBGMC, in partnership with UHIA ESHIRI, launched a global survey targeting Black LGBT organizations and individuals across the globe. This report documents the results of the survey that shows the drastic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on LGBTIQ people globally. As reported by the recently published report by Outright Action International, on their latest report titled "Vulnerability Amplified," LGBTQ people across the globe are being impacted by the virus; In this report, GBGMC sought to gather specific data on how Black LGBTQ people across the world are affected and coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. As the world has now moved into the second wave of COVID-19, GBGMC's hope is that this report offers some urgent lessons and recommendations for us to combat the impact of the imminent lock down due to COVID-19.

This report indicates a looming exacerbation of discrimination, devastating economic impact, risk of losing access to life-saving health care, and the marginalization of Black LGBTQ people. There is an urgent need for government, international donors, UN agencies, the public sector, and the general public to come together and make sure that Black LGBTQ people, all LGBTQ people, are included and provided specific relief funds to mitigate the economic and health impacts the pandemic has and will worsen if not addressed.

In this report, GBGMC offered some specific recommendations on actions that local/national government, the UN, WHO, international donor agencies and the private sector can take to address the drastic impact the COVID-19 pandemic is having on Black LGBTQI people.

2020 has demonstrated the importance of investing in community structures and longtime support for community organizations. We hope you join us in calling on leaders, private sectors, governments from local to international to take actions to mitigate the impact of the pandemic in our communities. Download the report here.