Besides supporting individual LGBTI organisations in Belize, Haiti and Guyana, COC also supports the Caribbean LGBTI movement on a regional level.

A thorough regional context analysis, conducted by an independent consultant with in-depth input from local activists, has highlighted the Caribbean movement’s needs and identified the current gaps in terms of support.

As several of its development partners are currently active in the Caribbean, COC wants to make sure its efforts will not be redundant and seeks to involve regional players who are best placed to implement whatever activities are needed.

One key focus area in the Caribbean is strengthening the LBQ women’s movement. In this connection, COC is partnering with ECADE to organise the annual Caribbean Women and Sexual Diversity Conference, which brings together lesbian, bisexual, queer and gender non-conforming women from across the Caribbean to strengthen their capacities and strategise together. Specifically in 2017 COC supported the first-time attendance of Haitian activists.

COC will develop and – together with regional partners – implement an Caribbean strategy aimed at strengthening capacity, performing effective and targeted advocacy and being inclusive of the Francophone LGBTI movement.