The United States Agency for International Development, the Delegation of the European Union, the Memorial Museum of the Dominican Resistance and the United Nations Development Program will hold an event to commemorate the Day. It will be held on Thursday 17 May at 20hs.

To mark the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia, embassies of European countries in the country projected a film adaptation of a French short ‘Sand Dollars’. The screening was sponsored by the embassies of Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and representatives of the United Nations system, the event also enjoyed the support of the National Films Agency. The presentation was held on Thursday, May 14 this year in the Dominican Cinematheque.

The organization Revasa (Volunteer Network Friends Forever Friends) held a workshop with psychologists, psychiatrists and sex educators on conversion therapies, as these are flourishing in the country.
This workshop panel was held on Friday May 15 at the Cultural Center of Spain in the capital, Santo Domingo.

To check the full report please visit our Spanish Page.

The organization UNIDI Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic organized the 2nd GLBTH University Forum, in commemoration also of the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia 2014. Progressive communities of faith as well as LGBTI family groups also came together to take action on the IDAHOT. The Day in the Dominican Republic was also marked by a video awareness-raising campaign against transphobia, by Transsa Dominica.

The 2nd Forum for Diversity University UNIDI took place in the city of Santo Domingo under the theme “Educating for Diversity” on Friday, May 16, 2014.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Community Church, ICM, and Circle of Parents, Mothers, Families and Friends of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) organized a parade in the Independence Park of the capital city, under the name “7 laps against Homophobia”. The Action was held on Saturday May 17 in the afternoon.

These groups were accompanied by various civil society organisations. Participants walked around the park to raise public awareness around LGBTI rights issues and, in particular, to challenge decision makers to develop public policy for the protection of human rights, to ensure better quality of life for sexual and gender minorities.

Finally Transsa Dominica organization prepared a series of videos to raise awareness about the importance and need for a gender identity recognition law in the Dominican Republic. You can watch one of the videos here:

Photos from IDAHOT 2014 in the Dominican Republic

The 2nd University Forum for Diversity by UNIDI will take place in the city of Santo Domingo with the theme “Educating for Diversity” on Friday, May 16 at 2pm in the Pedro Mir Library UASD. Among the speakers are the following:

* Dr. Ramon Pimentel (Lawyer and Professor at the UASD)
* Marianela Carvajal (Activist for Lesbian Human Rights)
* Jose Ivan Diaz (Prosecutor for Family Law)
* Christian King (Activist for Trans Human Rights)
* Brigida Melo (Lawyer directing the Legal Services Community Centre)

UNIDI (Universitarios por la Diversidad) is an association of University students GTH, which promotes the development of the community on a socio-academic level, whose primary purpose is to fight to raise awareness of Human Rights and Sexual Diversity within the students they are representing, other members of the community and the people in general.

Report also available in Spanish.

The association TRANSSA (Trans Siempre Amigas; Trans Always Friends) was at the forefront of organisation.

Activists also highlighted constitutional guarantees to protect against hate crimes. The action was covered on national television in the Dominican Republic.

Activists spotlight transphobic violence in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

For more information:

• TRANSSA: TRANSSA (Trans Siempre Amigas) realiza actividad Día Internacional de la Lucha Contra la Homofobia y la Transfobia