Scope of Marang LGBTIQ Fund

Amid growing anti-rights and anti-gender sentiment across the region, the Marang LGBTIQ Fund is proud to announce its inaugural Call for Applications to support LGBTIQ-led organisations in Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mauritius, and Namibia.

Who are the organisers of the Marang LGBTIQ Fund

A partnership between Gender Links and The Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) funded by the European Union, the fund offers grants of up to €50,000 over two years for bold, community-rooted work that advances legal rights, deepens psychosocial support, and builds resilient LGBTIQ movements.

“In a time when our bodies, lives and truths are under attack, resourcing African LGBTIQ movements is not only urgent—it is sacred,” says Marang Fund Programme Manager Lusanda Mamba. “ The Marang Fund was birthed by and for us, rooted in feminist principles of care, solidarity, and collective power. We are not waiting for permission to exist or to lead. We know that when African queers organise, we birth futures that are freer, more just, and deeply grounded in love.”

Apply to the Marang LGBTIQ Fund now!

Applications are now open via an online portal and close on Monday, 30 June 2025 at 11:59 PM (SAST). The application process is accessible in English and French, with local support sessions scheduled between 16–20 June 2025. Virtual briefing sessions will be held:

• English: Monday 9 June 2025: 12:00PM – 1:00PM (SAST)
  Meeting URL: https://genderlinks-org-za.zoom.us/j/83126181320
  Meeting ID: 831 2618 1320
• French: Tuesday 10 June 2025: 1:00PM – 2:00PM (SAST)
  Meeting URL: https://genderlinks-org-za.zoom.us/j/89468431152
  Meeting ID: 894 6843 1152

Eligible applicants include LGBTIQ-led or LGBTIQ-mandated non-governmental organisations and community-based organisations, including those working with a registered fiscal host.

The Fund prioritises work in legal aid, psychosocial support, public education, human rights documentation, policy engagement, and movement building. Only one application per organisation will be accepted, and funding is limited to activities within the five eligible countries.

This launch comes at a critical moment. As LGBTIQ movements navigate an unstable and under-resourced funding landscape, and as many African states enact or consider regressive laws targeting sexual and gender minorities, African-led and regionally grounded responses are more critical than ever. The Marang Fund is a testament to the resilience of African queer movements and a commitment to resourcing our resistance and reimagination. It is both a lifeline and a catalyst for collective liberation.

For applications, eligibility details, and FAQs, visit:
https://genderlinksgmu.org.za/marang/
Marang Fund FAQs

The application can be accessed in English and French here:
https://diversityandinclusion-sa.awardsplatform.com

Media enquiries:
marangprogmanager@genderlinks.org.za

See also our SAMSO Training Course, Free to enroll

How to tackle the rise of the anti-gender movement

This short course serves as an introduction to gender justice meaning and the growing resistance against gender justice movements worldwide.

For years, feminist and LGBTI+ advocates have championed the rights of women and gender minorities. While significant progress has been made in legislation protecting against gender based violence and discrimination, we now face mounting opposition.

From Turkey to the UK, anti-gender groups have mobilised against gender justice, portraying it as a threat to justice gender and the family values. These movements have become increasingly coordinated, networked and prominent.

We must view these anti-gender movements as direct challenges to established human rights standards and hard-won progress made by groups like Gender Links and the gender justice network.

This course aims to build learner confidence in key gender justice concepts, examining what drives anti-gender movements through case studies of attacks on human rights.

You’ll discover how activists across southern Africa and globally are collaborating to protect women, LGBTI+ and gender diverse people, with inspiring examples and practical guidance for advancing gender justice citizenship and development in schools, workplaces and advocacy spaces.

Week one is a look at gender justice and why it is a human rights issue.

By the end of this week, you will be able to:

• Define and better understand key concepts and terminology such as sex, gender and intersectionality
• Explore gender as a social construct
• Recognise the current context of gender justice and why it is a pressing human rights issue