CariFLAGS and ILGA-NAC brought together regional LGBTQI+ civil society leaders, independent experts, and development partners in Kingston, Jamaica, from March 27–29, 2025, to assess the rapidly shifting landscape for equality work across the Caribbean.
The gathering came at a critical time. Organisations across the region are confronting sharp reductions in international funding, with many long-standing projects now curtailed or facing imminent closure. Participants described the cumulative impact of these cuts: disrupted advocacy, weakened community initiatives, and increased pressure on small organisations already operating with limited resources.
Rather than accepting “business as usual,” attendees used the meeting as space to rethink how the movement can sustain progress. They noted the need to move away from competition and fragmented institutional relationships and instead anchor future work in collaboration, shared values, and strategic alignment.
Over three days, the group worked collectively on a regional sustainability framework designed to strengthen coordination and ensure the continuity of LGBTQI+ rights advocacy in the Caribbean. This included examining shifting donor trends, mapping risks, and outlining practical ways organisations can support each other despite shrinking resources.
Sharon Mottley, Regional Programme Manager for ILGA-NAC, underscored the urgency: “Given what is happening globally, we should anticipate negative implications for the lives and well-being of our communities, as well as the work we’ve been doing all these years. This meeting is critical because it provides an opportunity for us to stop being reactive and figure out how to be proactive as a collective.”
One of the key outcomes of the convening was the creation of a shared “PACT”—a guiding commitment that outlines how partners will collaborate more intentionally going forward. Participants emphasized that stronger alignment, joint planning, and mutual support will be essential to sustaining equality work in a period defined by uncertainty.
The convening closed with a renewed sense of collective purpose and a clear message: the future of the Caribbean equality movement depends not only on funding, but on the strength of its relationships, its coordination, and its ability to stand together.
