International Center for Sexual Health Empowerment and Development (ICSHED) is located in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria. They focus on improving and advocating for human rights and sexual health, as well as enabling LGBTI people to overcome discrimination and other barriers, so they can achieve their full potential.
As one of the only countries worldwide, Nigeria has increased discrimination towards LGBTI people by law, through introduction of the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act in 2014. As a result of this, the Nigerian LGBTI community encounters violence, banishments, public humiliation, beatings, and many other hostilities. According to ICSHED, the number of documented human rights violations in Abuja has risen to 132 cases since the introduction of this discriminatory law.
With our funding, ICSHED can open an emergency shelter in Abuja. LGBTI people will have a place to seek refuge, where they can stay up to three months. The safe house will offer them psychosocial counseling and mental health rehabilitation to help them deal with traumas. Also, skills trainings will be given to contribute to economic empowerment.
