Pingvīni – Baltic Drag King Festival 2024

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The project “Baltic Drag King Festival 2024” was completed in June 2024, organizing the sixth annual festival in Riga, Latvia as part of the “Drag Yourself Here: Riga Edition” exhibition and Baltic Pride program. The event featured drag shows, workshops, lectures, and discussions, using drag to educate society through culture while highlighting masculinity and representing women, trans, and non-binary identities in a region with limited LGBTQ rights. The target audience included the LGBTQ communities in Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia, as well as allies and critics, with a focus on promoting inclusion.

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The festival ran from May 30 to June 30, 2024, offering free events: an exhibition showcasing works from 20 LGBTQ performers from Latvia, Lithuania, and Estonia; three drag shows with artists from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Poland; a discussion panel with experts from Latvia and Lithuania; a community crafting workshop with Ukrainian facilitators; a lecture by a Latvian facilitator; and a dragking make-up workshop led by a Polish facilitator. Held at two venues in central Riga, the events successfully engaged youth, the LGBTQ community, civic activists, and supportive observers.

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The project was promoted via press releases in national Latvian and Estonian media, and event photos were shared on the organizers’ and participants’ social media. Post-event evaluations maintained contact with both artists and attendees to assess engagement and address any mental health strains from the busy June schedule.

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Application Year 2024 – Theme: Health and rights – LGBTQI

Grant: 100 000 (SEK)

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Photo credits: Krista Saberova and Edgars Tabaks

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Jesus Loves LGBTQ – Conference for Pentecostal-Charismatic Christians

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Sweden is generally LGBTQ inclusive, but discrimination exists within certain religious communities, especially among the Pentecostal–charismatic sectors of the free church. These groups often view LGBTQ people as “wrong,” leading to mental health issues and suicide attempts among young people who cannot change their sexual orientation. If they embrace their identity, they are often excluded from active participation and leadership roles.

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The organization Jesus Loves LGBTQ carried out the project “Conference for Pentecostal–Charismatic Christians” aimed at actively changing the perspective within the free church regarding individuals who identify as homosexual, bisexual, transgender, or express queer identities, as well as intersex individuals. The project intended to create conditions so that these individuals could become full members and hold leadership positions – something that unfortunately is not the case today.

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The project organized a conference on October 4–5, 2024, building on an initial conference held in the spring of 2023, both under the theme “Jesus Loves LGBTQ.” The conference featured the screening of the documentary film 1946 – The Mistranslation that Shifted a Culture, which examines a mistranslation in the Bible that introduced the term “homosexual” and contributed to prejudices against sexual minorities. Seminars and services were led by Ann-Christine Ruuth, Patrick Tiainen, and Niclas Öjebrandt. Approximately 150 people participated from all over Sweden, and attendees from Norway and Finland were also present. The conference also received media coverage, with features in the newspaper Dagen on August 14 and October 6.

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Application Year 2024 – Theme: Health and rights – LGBTQI

Grant: 65 000 (SEK)

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The Indra Association – Selective Violence Prevention

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Indra Queer Trans & Tjejjour is a politically and religiously independent organization in Sollentuna that works to prevent violence and promote young people’s rights. The organization focuses on youth aged 16–24. In Sollentuna, they are the only organization specifically targeting young girls and LGBTQ+ youth.

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The goal of the “Selective Violence Prevention” project was for Indra to continue to be the clear voice on the issue of violence exposure and the mental health of young girls and LGBTQ+ individuals in the municipality of Sollentuna and the Stockholm region. With the help of the project, they hoped to reach more young people in their local area, thereby having more direct interactions with the target group.

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The project carried out 22 activities during the year, which included school workshops, lectures, and presentations. Indra collaborated with local partners and other organizations to broaden its reach and impact. The organization engaged in outreach activities, including youth center events, school programs, and participation in community events such as “Sollentuna Days” and the “Schools Out Festival.”

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“We see that effective and long-term work results in our violence prevention efforts achieving a wider reach over a longer period – an effect that is difficult to achieve but extremely important. A broader reach means that more young people are met with adequate and well-informed support. Being met with such a positive approach increases self-esteem and strengthens empowerment, thereby increasing the chance that more young people dare to talk about their vulnerability and well-being and seek further help.” – The Indra Association

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Application Year 2024 – Theme: Health and rights – LGBTQI

Grant: 250 000 (SEK)

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Helamalmö – The Great Encounter

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The project “The Great Encounter” was aimed at primary school children in areas facing social and economic challenges. The children wrote short autobiographical texts on the theme “This I Will Never Forget” and then illustrated each other’s stories. With the help of authors, artists, and a designer, they created a picture book, which was showcased in a public exhibition. The goal was for the children to have the opportunity to understand and share each other’s life experiences, fostering empathy and a sense of community.

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The project was initiated by Marit Törnqvist in Amsterdam and was recently conducted as a pilot project in Nydala, Malmö. The participating children wrote about impactful memories, such as illness, divorce, and displacement, which sparked curiosity and recognition among others. The project consisted of about ten sessions where students were supported by authors and artists to express their memories through text and imagery. The picture book, featuring the children’s texts and illustrations, was then shared with local libraries, and a traveling exhibition was planned to reach more schools and communities across Sweden.

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In addition to encouraging creativity and connection, the project aimed to reduce segregation and polarization. By offering children and adults from other parts of society a glimpse into what it’s like to grow up in a disadvantaged environment, the initiators now hope that the project can expand and be implemented in more schools and cities in the future.

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Application Year 2023 – Theme: Women and girl refugees

Mother Society – Income and Empowering Rural girls and Women in Poverty

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Computer literacy has become almost an essential skill to meet human needs and remain competitive in the job market. Technology has also started making its way into rural India, where computers are now utilized in many areas. In response to this development, MOTHER SOCIETY, a humanitarian organization, implemented the project “Income and Empowering Rural Girls and Women in Poverty to Self-Sufficiency through Advanced Computer Education and Job Skills.” This project provided advanced computer training to 30 young women in Nandyal, Andhra Pradesh, in partnership with the Rights Now Foundation. The aim of the project was to equip rural women with professional skills to enhance their employment prospects and support self-sufficiency.

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“We want to thank you along with these 30 girls and women for making this advanced computer skill training program a successful one that helps 30 aspiring young persons to settle in life. We remain thankful to your esteemed organization continuously down in our hearts and lives along with our family members. Thank you for transforming our lives.

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With all best wishes.

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MOTHER SOCIETY along with 30 girls and young mothers.”

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Application Year 2023 – Theme: Women and girl refugees

PCI – Women inclusion for social economic empowerment

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Push Community Initiative (PCI), with support from the Rights Now Foundation, implemented the “Women Inclusion for Social Economic Empowerment (WISE)” project in the Mbale district of Uganda. The project targeted vulnerable rural women and girls and focused on beekeeping as a way to create income and reduce poverty. Participants received training and equipment to manage the entire beekeeping value chain – from site selection and hive management to honey harvesting and marketing. Local residents were also involved in the work, such as building beehives and selling honey, which created job opportunities.

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Through the project, women and girls increased their incomes and strengthened their roles within their households. Issues related to human rights and gender equality were also addressed. PCI collaborated with local leaders and organizations to advance the project and tackle challenges like climate change and staff turnover. Despite certain obstacles, such as a lack of funding for Api-tourism and research, as well as the impact of extreme heat, the project succeeded in contributing to sustainable development and social change within the community.

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Application Year 2023 – Theme: Women and girl refugees

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Image 1: On the left is Mr. Wilson Kabagambe, a honeybee consultant from Nakaseke, leading a beekeeping training session at the PCI training center in Bufumbo, Mbale.

MRF – Human Rights Film Festival

The MRF Human Rights Film Festival is an annual event in western Sweden. Each screening is followed by a lecture/discussion with filmmakers, researchers, journalists, public debaters, and human rights experts. The primary audience is school youth, who can attend for free. The festival dates were November 20-24, 2023.

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This year, with support from the Rights Now Foundation, we held a total of nine screenings focused on women’s rights, followed by lectures and discussions. We showcased five films about gender equality, focusing on women refugees. Two of the films, “Exodus” and “Dogborn,” depicted the situation for refugee women/girls, while “De ostyriga” looks at gender equality from a historical perspective, the Algerian film “Houria,” and finally, “She Said” which portrays part of the #metoo movement’s inception. These screenings were attended by approximately 1021 people.

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Application Year 2023 – Theme: Women and girl refugees

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The Good Talents – Talent Network

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The Project Talent Network has not only provided practical knowledge but also opportunities for personal development and networking through various workshops, including job and study workshops, leadership training, and storytelling sessions. The results indicate increased self-esteem, greater knowledge of opportunities, and reduced feelings of social exclusion among participants.

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The Good Talents looks forward to continuing its work to promote the potential of young people and create long-term changes in society. The Good Talents would like to extend a warm and heartfelt thank you to the Rights Now Foundation for your support and funding of our project, the Talent Network. Your trust and commitment have been crucial in making this initiative possible and successful.

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Your support has not only given young women tools and opportunities to thrive but has also contributed to creating a positive impact on society by promoting equality, diversity, and reducing social exclusion.

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Application Year 2023 – Theme: Women and girl refugees

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Right By Me – Girls Right to Talk

The “Girls’ Right to Talk” project conducted by Right By Me focused on empowering young girls with foreign backgrounds, aged 13 to 24, to increase their participation and voice in Swedish society. This was achieved through a combination of capacity-building activities, participation in public forums, and collaboration with companies and policymakers. The efforts aimed to improve the girls’ self-esteem, self-efficacy, employability, and sense of community.

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The project reported successes in increased participation in societal debates, improved representation in various contexts, and strengthened individual capacities of the participants. Through its activities, the project contributed to promoting gender equality and participation, highlighting the importance of targeted efforts to give young girls with foreign backgrounds a stronger voice and place in society.

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Application Year 2023 – Theme: Women and girl refugees

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