U.S. Embassy in Vietnam Encourages Initiatives Supporting LGBTI

The U.S. Embassy in Vietnam has launched a contest encouraging the contributions to advance the rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Intersex (LGBTI) persons in the workplace and to build a coalition between LGBTI-focused civil society organizations and leading businesses operating in Vietnam. This competitive program will award a grant of up to $25,000 to qualified organizations in a suggested duration of between 18 and 24 months for selected projects. Encouragement will be delivered to any initiative that is dedicated to eliminating barriers to equality, ending discrimination, and promoting human rights for LGBTI individuals. And the U.S. Mission Vietnam seeks proposals which address all of the following objectives, such as building a coalition of civil society organizations and businesses operating in Vietnam who support the rights of LGBTI individuals, working with civil society, businesses, and the government to expand social inclusion practices and improve awareness of the rights of LGBTI individuals in the workplace, and strengthening the legal and policy framework to protect the rights of LGBTI individuals in the workplace. The U.S. Mission Vietnam seeks to expand positive steps regarding the rights of LGBTI persons which have gained supported by the Vietnamese government in recent years, the embassy said on its website. The embassy has taken different measures to advance rights of LGBTI since the term of Ambassador Ted Osius. (vn.usembassy.gov July 21)