LGBT Rights in the Middle East and North Africa
Over the past few years, OutRight's work in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has focused on Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. We partner with local groups in various countries in the region as part of our international solidarity work. Along with activists in the region, we work to raise attention to – and stop – human rights violations based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression. OutRight has an extensive Iran program to support the efforts of the Iranian LGBTIQ community and their allies. We have produced a diverse set of resources in Persian to combat homophobia in the media, and to offer legal and religious analyses and perspectives in support of tolerance, and to challenge cultural and social narratives that dehumanize individuals because of their sexual orientation and/or gender identity. OutRight also has close partnerships with LGBTIQ groups in Turkey, to support the ongoing struggle of the activists to gain equal rights and protection under the law.
