Centering the voices and experiences of LGBTQ+ peace and security experts and youth activists, this policy brief serves as a foundational resource for civil society actors to better understand the experiences of young LGBTQ+ peacebuilders. Moreover, concluding with highlighted areas for action, this brief provides recommendations for how CSOs can take initial steps towards ‘queering’ the YPS agenda and better supporting LGBTQ+ peacebuilders moving forward.

In this policy brief, we centre on the experiences activists working at the intersection of WPS and LGBTQIA human rights and highlight the importance of listening to and reflecting their views, experiences, and needs. We present the work already being done and the challenges activists face before outlining entry points that exist to better support them.

Available in Englihs and Spanish. In 2023 Colombia’s transitional justice process, the Special Jurisdiction for Peace (JEP) opened Macrocase 11. We recognize Case 11 as a groundbreaking case not only for the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer) community in Colombia and Latin America, but also an extension of the growing commitment to queering transitional justice mechanisms and queer jurisprudence.

This analytical framework combines the insights of feminist and queer activism and theory with regards to conflict, peace and security. While we intend it to be of relevance across varied contexts, given the expertise of those involved in developing it, we draw significantly from insights from Afghanistan, Colombia, Myanmar, Nepal, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, and Uganda.

Authored by CGP co-directors, Maria Adriana Deiana & Jamie J. Hagen, alongside Danielle Roberts, doctoral candidate at Ulster University, about our project researching 'Feminist Activism and the politics of Crisis in Northern Ireland' as part of our Feminism(s) and the Politics of Crisis project exploring: Anti-gender politics and populism, Responding to Climate Change, and Feminist Economics.

Authored by CGP co-director, Jamie J. Hagen, on 'Minimizing Protection Gaps for LGBTQ People Living in Conflict'  as part of our centre's research on the inclusion of  LGBTQ voices in the Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda. This work bridges academic, activist and policy approaches to include a gender perspective in peace and security responses in conflict-related environments.