GATE’s achievements and initiatives over the last year underscore the capability of trans, gender diverse, and intersex-led organizations to lead human rights processes, and advocate for their rights
Erika Castellanos, GATE’s Executive Director
In 2023, GATE focused on highlighting the impact of anti-gender movements and actions to counter it through various publications, mentorship support, and one-on-one training. Our impact is mainly reflected in the following achievements:
- We received UN ECOSOC special consultative status
- We made available 7 online courses in GATE’s Learning Hub with 153 new users with 45% of these self-identifying as trans, gender diverse, and/or intersex.
- We increased our resource download rate by 8%, meaning more people accessing our resources
Human Rights
GATE was honored to receive the United Nations ECOSOC special consultative status, enhancing our ability to meaningfully engage in UN systems to improve the lives of trans, gender diverse, and intersex people globally.
Additionally, to increase trans and gender diverse communities’ human rights protection and advocacy, GATE:
- expanded the UN Trans Advocacy Week organizing committee to include a new organizing partner, the East Africa Trans Health & Advocacy Network (EATHAN), to increase engagement in Africa.
- published the global survey results on the Impact of anti-gender opposition, highlighting the main topics of discussion used by anti-gender actors, their political-ideological stances and their impact on trans and gender diverse equality.
Movement Building
To expand and strengthen trans and gender diverse communities’ movements, GATE:
- scaled up access to training for TGD communities and stakeholders worldwide by launching GATE’s Learning Hub, which provides 7 free training courses.
- launched a campaign on TDoV with key participants, including Alok Vaid-Menon, to raise awareness of the role of social media in facilitating harmful narratives from the anti-gender movement.
- engaged in organizational strengthening and advocacy through the THRIVE Consortium, including engaging in high-level advocacy spaces, conducting regional community consultations, and implementing capacity-strengthening training for trans and gender diverse-led organizations.
Health
To advance health rights and access to health services for trans, gender diverse, and intersex communities, GATE:
- hosted a satellite symposium at Amsterdam’s Fast Track Cities Conference on how anti-gender opposition impacts trans and gender diverse health rights, and later published recommendations (targeting donors) on how to tackle anti-gender opposition.
- produced a Policy Brief and Factsheet on Trans Men in the Global HIV Response, presented at GATE’s World AIDS Day webinar with UNAIDS participation.
- expanded the International Working Group on Trans Masculine People & HIV with new members joining from previously under-represented regions, including Southern Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Currently, the membership consists of 31 trans masculine activists, researchers, and public health experts from 22 different countries across all global regions.
Institutional Strengthening
To strengthen our sustainability and internal and programmatic capacity as a global trans, gender diverse, and intersex expert organization, GATE:
- held an in-person board and staff retreat to facilitate engagement, work planning, and relationship building.
- hired three new staff members in communications, health, and movement building to facilitate the ongoing expansion of our staff and areas of work.
- secured funding for staff well-being, a significant step forward in embodying the principles of care and support within our organizational culture.
- made significant strides in weaving digital security into our operations.
We will continue to resist the political, social, and legal challenges that threaten our well-being and our rights in this world.
Rikki Nathanson, GATE’s Board Chairperson
