Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe de Personas Trans (RedLacTrans)

 

RedLacTrans – the Network of Trans People in Latin America and the Caribbean – is a regional network of 25 organizations led by trans people.

 

Grantee type: Regional

Grant: $427,500

Grant period: 2016-2018

Lead organization: Red Latinoamericana y del Caribe de personas trans (REDLACTRANS) This consortium was formed in 2013

 

Key organizations supported with RCF funding include (alphabetically by country): ATTTA (Argentina), Trans In Action (Belize), Amanda Jofré Cerda (Chile), Transvida (Costa Rica), Asociación Alfil (Ecuador), ASPIDH (El Salvador), Otrans (Guatemala), Colectivo Unidad Color Rosa (Honduras), Red Mexicana de Mujeres Trans (Mexico), Redtrans Nicaragua (Nicaragua), Asociación Panameña de Personas Trans (Panama), Panambi (Paraguay), Red Trans de Perú (Peru), COTRAVETD (Dominican Republic), and Asociación Trans (Uruguay).

• Research in Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, Peru, and Uruguay, as well as in other countries around the world documents that transgender people are at higher risk of discrimination, gender-based violence and other human rights violations, and face reduced access to employment, education, housing, and services.
• These vulnerabilities correlate with disparities in health, including higher rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Studies interviewing trans women typically document very high (over 50%) rates of lifetime sexual violence, very high (over 20%) rates of HIV and STIs, oftentimes undiagnosed and untreated, and a lack of access to services that are affirming, affordable, and targeted to their needs related to gender identity, sexual health, behavioral health, and practical legal, economic and social needs. Significant disparities are also seen within trans populations in relation to age, race, migration and documentation status, and histories of sex work or drug use.
• Transgender people have important direct experience of HIV-related health needs and barriers to health services. The capacity of networks of transgender people and other inadequately served populations (ISPs) to organize and advocate is central to efforts to improve human rights environments, improve HIV service accessibility, and improve efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of national and international funding for health and human rights.

 

 

RCF funding 2016-2018

RedLacTrans received US$ 428,000 in funding from the Robert Carr Fund during 2016-2018, which was a continuation of steady RCF funding support since 2012. This funding was allocated to both core and strategic program costs across organizations in 15 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to help build the capacity of each organization and to support collective action across the region. In 2019, the Robert Carr Fund awarded an additional US$ 500,000 in funding to RedLacTrans for continuation and expansion of its work.

 

Geographic coverage

RedLacTrans is a regional network convening and supporting organizations and individuals in more than 15 countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, Belize, Chile, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and Uruguay.

 

Population coverage

Through the RedLacTrans network organizations led by trans people in more than 15 countries are supporting the empowerment, leadership, health and rights of trans and gender non-conforming people.

 

Activities 2016-2018

With RCF funding in 2016-2018, organizations in the RedLacTrans network conducted advocacy for improved gender identity laws in five countries, including Chile, Mexico and Uruguay. All of the organizations in the RedLacTrans network also worked to respond to the health needs and human rights needs of trans people in their countries, including needs related to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care. At a regional level, RedLacTrans coordinated and led regional advocacy for the rights of trans people at the Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and organized regional competency trainings for health providers from Latin American countries.

 

Results 2016-2018

Sustained support from RCF and other funders since 2012 has helped the organizations in the RedLacTrans network build organizational strength and capacity for services and advocacy. Key results during 2016-2018 include:

• Network strength and influence: Improved governance, management and capacity at several organizations in the RedLacTrans network, including at ATTTA (Argentina), Trans In Action (Belize), ASPIDH (El Salvador), Asociación Panameña de Personas Trans (Panama), Panambi (Paraguay), Red Trans de Perú (Peru), and COTRAVETD (Dominican Republic).
• Human rights:  Improvements in gender identity laws in five Latin American countries, including Chile, Mexico and Uruguay
• Access to services: Increased knowledge by health providers in 13 Latin American countries about models and approaches for comprehensive affirming health services to meet trans people’s gender identity, sexual health, and behavioral health needs.