Job title: Media, Journalism and Communications L*Genius
Contract duration: long term with trial period
Yearly salary: from 48.000,00 to 69.000 EUR (Gross II)
Working hours: full time
Based in: Europe or Central Asia
Work space: remote (all EL*C staff work remotely)
Deadline for application: May 15th 2022
EL*C Presentation:
The EL*C – EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community is a non-governmental organisation, representing the needs of lesbian, queer, bi and trans women and of lesbian organisations. Formally established in 2017 in Vienna, Austria the EL*C aims to advocate for lesbian rights in Europe and Central Asia. EL*C is a pan-European-Central Asian Lesbian Network, driven by the objective of (re)building the lesbian movement, as a response to the growing lack of the fundamental structures, tools and mechanisms to fight lesbophobia, sexism, misogyny, transphobia and all other types of discrimination experienced daily by lesbians.
The EL*C uses the word “lesbian” as a broad inclusive term, including lesbians who identify as trans, non-binary, as well as intersex lesbians, and bisexual or queer women.
EL*C & Media Activism
From the start, media and communication have been one of the main pillars of EL*C strategy. On the one hand, lesbians are still invisible in all domains and the word “lesbian” in itself has still a derogatory connotation. On the other, the EL*C employs media and communication technologies for social and political change, publishing news on our website, creating video and audio investigations, spreading information about protests, or organizing campaigns relating to media and communications policies, enhancing the creation of communities online over specific issues and social connections.
EL*C’s media strategy uses the coverage of traditional mass media outlets in order to gain significant traction in lesbian visibility struggles. Today, hundreds of articles and videos mention EL*C all over the world, including big national outlets like the Corriere della Sera, the National Geographic, Vice, Kyivpost, Euronews, Rusnext, Le Monde, Bild, El Pais, Fox News, The Washington Post, and many more. For more information, check out EL*C online Press Review: https://europeanlesbianconference.org/elc-in-the-media-press-review/.
Job summary:
The Media, Communications and Outreach L*Genius is responsible for enabling effective and efficient external and internal communications and for providing editorial, strategic, creative and operational support across the organization. This position plays a key role in ensuring that EL*C’s communications are both informative and influential for the full range of stakeholders. The main goals of this position are: communicating how amazing lesbians in general and EL*C in particular, are; increasing EL*C reach and membership.
In addition, this position is also in charge of media and press relations, as well as for maintaining social media accounts, and other online platforms of communication. This position will have a crucial role in developing and strengthening visibility for EL*C and in contributing to the overall success of the organization, particularly in relation to communication and dissemination of EL*C activities and projects.
Who are we looking for?
MEDIA skills: What we are looking for is a lesbian genius aware of the media landscape in Europe and Central Asia (at least certain parts of it), with a strong network of journalists, and able to get media pieces on EL*C published and broadcasted as often as possible. We want you to be able to feel the international news and understand how to infiltrate some lesbian contents throughout it.
Regarding ACTIVISM: If the current news is not enough, we want you to be able to create the news and conceive lesbian political actions bound to make the headlines.
On SOCIAL MEDIA: We need an expert with a strong presence on social media so as to promote our actions, reports and events, someone able to interact with journalists and media accounts.
Main duties and responsibilities:
To improve EL*C visibility: in close cooperation with the Executive Co-Directors supports development of external and internal communication policies and procedures; establishes internal and external relations;
To develop and implement visibility/media strategy and action plan; maintains social media accounts, maintains and improves EL*C’s website, develops innovative and diversified communication platforms in relations to stakeholders (newsletters, forums, mobile applications etc.), develops and manages media database, maintains good relationships with media representatives;
To develop, manage, update and write rich and creative content for different media and visibility platforms; performs press clippings, media monitoring, and media analysis on a regular basis, represents EL*C on local, regional, European and international levels, in close cooperation with the Executive Co-Directors;
Other duties and responsibilities:
– Assist all staff members in their day-to-day activities in areas concerning communication, public events and advocacy.
– Assist in all activities related to publications and their distribution;
– Assist in preparations of the EL*C Annual General Assembly and Conferences in relation to communication and publicity activities;
– Assist in all strategic planning sessions, staff meetings, and other relevant meetings;
– Assist, when necessary the Board members in their regular work in relation to communications activities;
– Assist member organizations in their communication capacity building processes;
– Represent EL*C as spokesperson when needed, represent EL*C and its activities on local, national, regional, European and international levels;
– Assist in capacity building programs relating to communications;
– Track, evaluate and report on social media interactions on a regular basis;
– Eventually, to solve some Dyke Dramas and smoothly communicate internally and externally about it..
JOB CONTEXT
The person will be part of a team of 6 persons. They will liaise with a network of very diverse national and international NGOs (more than 50 organizations) in Europe and Central Asia.
Contract/Working Hours: The successful applicant will receive a full-time long term with trial period to work full time (32 to 40 hours a week depending on national labor laws) over 4 or 5 days (depending on national labor laws).
Special conditions: Available to work irregular hours (i.e: occasional weekend meetings, occasional meetings in the evening, etc.), time off “in lieu” is provided. Availability to travel frequently.
Remuneration Package: The person will be employed under their national residency law. The Gross II salary (CTC – cost to company) applicable to this position is from 48.000,00 to 69.000 EUR (Gross II) per year.
HOW TO APPLY?
The application is composed of 4 parts, all the parts need to be filled and make a coherent plan together. Please send us (to the following e-mail address: squad@lesbiangenius.net) the 4 following documents:
1. Your CV;
2. A cover letter (no more than 1 page) which outlines why you would be a good fit for the position and for EL*C.
3. A short example of your work (an article, a blog/podcast, a book, or press release you are the author of; articles or media piece you contributed to get published; or big actions in activism you contributed to and were published in the media etc.);
4. The third part of the application is a sort of exercise to discover your creativity, political analysis and ideas on EL*C future communication and media strategy. Please download this attached document and fill it out with all your ideas.
Deadline for applications May 15th at 11pm CEST.
Job title: Media, Journalism and Communications L*Genius
Contract duration: long term with trial period
Yearly salary: from 48.000,00 to 69.000 EUR (Gross II)
Working hours: full time
Based in: Europe or Central Asia
Work space: remote (all EL*C staff work remotely)
Deadline for application: May 15th 2022
EL*C Presentation:
The EL*C – EuroCentralAsian Lesbian* Community is a non-governmental organisation, representing the needs of lesbian, queer, bi and trans women and of lesbian organisations. Formally established in 2017 in Vienna, Austria the EL*C aims to advocate for lesbian rights in Europe and Central Asia. EL*C is a pan-European-Central Asian Lesbian Network, driven by the objective of (re)building the lesbian movement, as a response to the growing lack of the fundamental structures, tools and mechanisms to fight lesbophobia, sexism, misogyny, transphobia and all other types of discrimination experienced daily by lesbians.
The EL*C uses the word “lesbian” as a broad inclusive term, including lesbians who identify as trans, non-binary, as well as intersex lesbians, and bisexual or queer women.
EL*C & Media Activism
From the start, media and communication have been one of the main pillars of EL*C strategy. On the one hand, lesbians are still invisible in all domains and the word “lesbian” in itself has still a derogatory connotation. On the other, the EL*C employs media and communication technologies for social and political change, publishing news on our website, creating video and audio investigations, spreading information about protests, or organizing campaigns relating to media and communications policies, enhancing the creation of communities online over specific issues and social connections.
EL*C’s media strategy uses the coverage of traditional mass media outlets in order to gain significant traction in lesbian visibility struggles. Today, hundreds of articles and videos mention EL*C all over the world, including big national outlets like the Corriere della Sera, the National Geographic, Vice, Kyivpost, Euronews, Rusnext, Le Monde, Bild, El Pais, Fox News, The Washington Post, and many more. For more information, check out EL*C online Press Review: https://europeanlesbianconference.org/elc-in-the-media-press-review/.
Job summary:
The Media, Communications and Outreach L*Genius is responsible for enabling effective and efficient external and internal communications and for providing editorial, strategic, creative and operational support across the organization. This position plays a key role in ensuring that EL*C’s communications are both informative and influential for the full range of stakeholders. The main goals of this position are: communicating how amazing lesbians in general and EL*C in particular, are; increasing EL*C reach and membership.
In addition, this position is also in charge of media and press relations, as well as for maintaining social media accounts, and other online platforms of communication. This position will have a crucial role in developing and strengthening visibility for EL*C and in contributing to the overall success of the organization, particularly in relation to communication and dissemination of EL*C activities and projects.
Who are we looking for?
MEDIA skills: What we are looking for is a lesbian genius aware of the media landscape in Europe and Central Asia (at least certain parts of it), with a strong network of journalists, and able to get media pieces on EL*C published and broadcasted as often as possible. We want you to be able to feel the international news and understand how to infiltrate some lesbian contents throughout it.
Regarding ACTIVISM: If the current news is not enough, we want you to be able to create the news and conceive lesbian political actions bound to make the headlines.
On SOCIAL MEDIA: We need an expert with a strong presence on social media so as to promote our actions, reports and events, someone able to interact with journalists and media accounts.
Main duties and responsibilities:
To improve EL*C visibility: in close cooperation with the Executive Co-Directors supports development of external and internal communication policies and procedures; establishes internal and external relations;
To develop and implement visibility/media strategy and action plan; maintains social media accounts, maintains and improves EL*C’s website, develops innovative and diversified communication platforms in relations to stakeholders (newsletters, forums, mobile applications etc.), develops and manages media database, maintains good relationships with media representatives;
To develop, manage, update and write rich and creative content for different media and visibility platforms; performs press clippings, media monitoring, and media analysis on a regular basis, represents EL*C on local, regional, European and international levels, in close cooperation with the Executive Co-Directors;
Other duties and responsibilities:
– Assist all staff members in their day-to-day activities in areas concerning communication, public events and advocacy.
– Assist in all activities related to publications and their distribution;
– Assist in preparations of the EL*C Annual General Assembly and Conferences in relation to communication and publicity activities;
– Assist in all strategic planning sessions, staff meetings, and other relevant meetings;
– Assist, when necessary the Board members in their regular work in relation to communications activities;
– Assist member organizations in their communication capacity building processes;
– Represent EL*C as spokesperson when needed, represent EL*C and its activities on local, national, regional, European and international levels;
– Assist in capacity building programs relating to communications;
– Track, evaluate and report on social media interactions on a regular basis;
– Eventually, to solve some Dyke Dramas and smoothly communicate internally and externally about it..
JOB CONTEXT
The person will be part of a team of 6 persons. They will liaise with a network of very diverse national and international NGOs (more than 50 organizations) in Europe and Central Asia.
Contract/Working Hours: The successful applicant will receive a full-time long term with trial period to work full time (32 to 40 hours a week depending on national labor laws) over 4 or 5 days (depending on national labor laws).
Special conditions: Available to work irregular hours (i.e: occasional weekend meetings, occasional meetings in the evening, etc.), time off “in lieu” is provided. Availability to travel frequently.
Remuneration Package: The person will be employed under their national residency law. The Gross II salary (CTC – cost to company) applicable to this position is from 48.000,00 to 69.000 EUR (Gross II) per year.
HOW TO APPLY?
The application is composed of 4 parts, all the parts need to be filled and make a coherent plan together. Please send us (to the following e-mail address: squad@lesbiangenius.net) the 4 following documents:
1. Your CV;
2. A cover letter (no more than 1 page) which outlines why you would be a good fit for the position and for EL*C.
3. A short example of your work (an article, a blog/podcast, a book, or press release you are the author of; articles or media piece you contributed to get published; or big actions in activism you contributed to and were published in the media etc.);
4. The third part of the application is a sort of exercise to discover your creativity, political analysis and ideas on EL*C future communication and media strategy. Please download this attached document and fill it out with all your ideas.
Deadline for applications May 15th at 11pm CEST.
(Video with English subtitles)
On March 19, BFM TV, France’s first information TV channel, interviewed Alice Coffin on EL*C‘s actions at the Polish border to help lesbian refugees.
Alice talked about our actions and what Insight LGBTQ NGO with Olena Shevchenko are doing in their LGBT shelter in Lviv.
On the pictures displayed on the TV piece: Helena Vukovic, Dragana Todorovic, Evgenia Giak.
If you want to help us, there is no small donation, we need and use every euro https://gofund.me/18176a7f
If you want to host lesbian refugees https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V337383
(Video with English subtitles)
On March 19, BFM TV, France’s first information TV channel, interviewed Alice Coffin on EL*C‘s actions at the Polish border to help lesbian refugees.
Alice talked about our actions and what Insight LGBTQ NGO with Olena Shevchenko are doing in their LGBT shelter in Lviv.
On the pictures displayed on the TV piece: Helena Vukovic, Dragana Todorovic, Evgenia Giak.
If you want to help us, there is no small donation, we need and use every euro https://gofund.me/18176a7f
If you want to host lesbian refugees https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/V337383
Originally publish by LOUIMEDIA in French on March 12th 2022
By Evgenia Giakoumopoulou (1)
First minutes of “calm” in days, the opportunity to finally write a few lines. This calm is the slow wait at the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing to deliver basic necessities to Lviv, a city in the west of the country where Ukrainians fleeing the fighting are taking refuge. Olena, our EL*C colleague, is a leading figure in the Ukrainian LGBT movement. She runs a makeshift LGBT shelter there. Until yesterday, she had held out in Kiev, but the constant bombing made her work (and her safety) impossible. Without leaving the country, with her parents and her cat, she moved closer to us, in the last big city still spared by the war.
For almost two weeks now, we have been working on our side of the border, in Poland, a country that proclaimed “LGBT-free zones” a short time ago, and which has suddenly turned into a safe haven for refugees fleeing the war. We take turns with our comrades and partner organisations to cover all the border countries, Poland, but also Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.
My lover Dragana and I, who live in the Balkans, arrived in Poland a few days after the invasion of Ukraine, to activate the emergency number and establish the first safe house. For Dragana, it’s all déjà vu; she has lived through 10 years of war in the Balkans and months of NATO bombing in the 1990s. History is definitely repeating itself.
A few hours after our arrival at the border, the first group contacts us: two families, two lesbian mothers, each with their child, a dog and two bikes. They are about to cross the border three hours north of where we are. We only have one car, but we’ll manage. Let’s go.
Since then, we have received dozens of messages, taken in about 20 people and transported so many others to the four corners of Europe. We have opened three houses, picked up several cars and expanded our teams on site and at a distance, created a healthy network of lesbian hosts across Europe, and a vital network among the ‘humanitarians’ on the ground. We were moved by the young couple separated by war who were reunited with one of the hosts in Berlin; we were relieved at each reception at the border and then at each arrival at their destination; our hearts ached for each person arriving with just a backpack full of “their life”, and even more so when it was half-filled with kibble for Arwen – the little dog.
Now we have to focus on crossing the border and going to Ukraine, because the needs are urgent, the humanitarian corridors are missing, and there is no time to lose. At Olena’s request, we emptied the shops in Rzeszow of their stocks of air mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, (and cat containers – lesbian emergencies oblige!). On the road, number plates from all over Europe and logos printed on paper and taped to the windows are evidence of the spontaneous solidarity that has sprung up. And it’s not the big international organisations and agencies that you see. It is individuals and associations improvising. Just like us.
EL*C is not a humanitarian organisation. But we have decided to help to the best of our ability, as always. Those who are used to resisting, often know what to do. With little means, and a lot of courage. We are going. We know that Ukrainian lesbians, LGBT people, racialised people, already marginalised in the country, will have less access to the protection and assistance put in place for refugees and will be exposed to greater risks of discrimination or violence, in the countries of transit, as well as of destination. We are already seeing this.
During these moments of waiting on the right side of the border, among the tents of associations offering hot drinks, food and first aid, we see the streams of people walking past, luggage and children in their arms, exhaustion all over their bodies. Most of them are women, children and elderly people, as men of fighting age cannot leave the country. These ones managed to get through. For racialised people and trans people, the hours of waiting in the cold, without food and water, often end in failure on the other side. They get stuck.
A (silly, as often happens) comment under one of our Facebook posts disturbed me more than usual. “What does sexual orientation have to do with it?” asked a good straight man, with his profile picture of a well-normalized little couple. The war in Ukraine obviously has nothing to do with sexual orientation. But the mobilisation of our community, our collective feeling and that very lesbian need to roll up our sleeves when things go wrong, belongs to us and unites us. And it is as lesbians, strong in our identity, supportive and committed, that we have mobilised. And yes, we help everyone.
Support and Donate. Make a donation now will allow us to continue keeping our safe houses open and getting the much needed help to our friends, colleagues, lovers living through the war.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/lesbians-refugees-in-the-ukranian-border
(1) Evgenia Giakoumopoulou is the co-chair of the Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community. EL*C is a feminist and intersectional lesbian network, born five years ago, for the recognition of the rights, visibility and well-being of lesbians in Europe and Central Asia. Today EL*C represents over 40 lesbian organisations from Kazakhstan to Portugal. Evgenia Giakoumopoulou came to the Polish border with her partner, herself the co-executive director of ELC, on 2 March, to provide assistance to the LGBT community and anyone fleeing the war in Ukraine.
Originally publish by LOUIMEDIA in French on March 12th 2022
By Evgenia Giakoumopoulou (1)
First minutes of “calm” in days, the opportunity to finally write a few lines. This calm is the slow wait at the Polish-Ukrainian border crossing to deliver basic necessities to Lviv, a city in the west of the country where Ukrainians fleeing the fighting are taking refuge. Olena, our EL*C colleague, is a leading figure in the Ukrainian LGBT movement. She runs a makeshift LGBT shelter there. Until yesterday, she had held out in Kiev, but the constant bombing made her work (and her safety) impossible. Without leaving the country, with her parents and her cat, she moved closer to us, in the last big city still spared by the war.
For almost two weeks now, we have been working on our side of the border, in Poland, a country that proclaimed “LGBT-free zones” a short time ago, and which has suddenly turned into a safe haven for refugees fleeing the war. We take turns with our comrades and partner organisations to cover all the border countries, Poland, but also Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova and Romania.
My lover Dragana and I, who live in the Balkans, arrived in Poland a few days after the invasion of Ukraine, to activate the emergency number and establish the first safe house. For Dragana, it’s all déjà vu; she has lived through 10 years of war in the Balkans and months of NATO bombing in the 1990s. History is definitely repeating itself.
A few hours after our arrival at the border, the first group contacts us: two families, two lesbian mothers, each with their child, a dog and two bikes. They are about to cross the border three hours north of where we are. We only have one car, but we’ll manage. Let’s go.
Since then, we have received dozens of messages, taken in about 20 people and transported so many others to the four corners of Europe. We have opened three houses, picked up several cars and expanded our teams on site and at a distance, created a healthy network of lesbian hosts across Europe, and a vital network among the ‘humanitarians’ on the ground. We were moved by the young couple separated by war who were reunited with one of the hosts in Berlin; we were relieved at each reception at the border and then at each arrival at their destination; our hearts ached for each person arriving with just a backpack full of “their life”, and even more so when it was half-filled with kibble for Arwen – the little dog.
Now we have to focus on crossing the border and going to Ukraine, because the needs are urgent, the humanitarian corridors are missing, and there is no time to lose. At Olena’s request, we emptied the shops in Rzeszow of their stocks of air mattresses, sleeping bags, blankets, (and cat containers – lesbian emergencies oblige!). On the road, number plates from all over Europe and logos printed on paper and taped to the windows are evidence of the spontaneous solidarity that has sprung up. And it’s not the big international organisations and agencies that you see. It is individuals and associations improvising. Just like us.
EL*C is not a humanitarian organisation. But we have decided to help to the best of our ability, as always. Those who are used to resisting, often know what to do. With little means, and a lot of courage. We are going. We know that Ukrainian lesbians, LGBT people, racialised people, already marginalised in the country, will have less access to the protection and assistance put in place for refugees and will be exposed to greater risks of discrimination or violence, in the countries of transit, as well as of destination. We are already seeing this.
During these moments of waiting on the right side of the border, among the tents of associations offering hot drinks, food and first aid, we see the streams of people walking past, luggage and children in their arms, exhaustion all over their bodies. Most of them are women, children and elderly people, as men of fighting age cannot leave the country. These ones managed to get through. For racialised people and trans people, the hours of waiting in the cold, without food and water, often end in failure on the other side. They get stuck.
A (silly, as often happens) comment under one of our Facebook posts disturbed me more than usual. “What does sexual orientation have to do with it?” asked a good straight man, with his profile picture of a well-normalized little couple. The war in Ukraine obviously has nothing to do with sexual orientation. But the mobilisation of our community, our collective feeling and that very lesbian need to roll up our sleeves when things go wrong, belongs to us and unites us. And it is as lesbians, strong in our identity, supportive and committed, that we have mobilised. And yes, we help everyone.
Support and Donate. Make a donation now will allow us to continue keeping our safe houses open and getting the much needed help to our friends, colleagues, lovers living through the war.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/lesbians-refugees-in-the-ukranian-border
(1) Evgenia Giakoumopoulou is the co-chair of the Eurocentralasian Lesbian* Community. EL*C is a feminist and intersectional lesbian network, born five years ago, for the recognition of the rights, visibility and well-being of lesbians in Europe and Central Asia. Today EL*C represents over 40 lesbian organisations from Kazakhstan to Portugal. Evgenia Giakoumopoulou came to the Polish border with her partner, herself the co-executive director of ELC, on 2 March, to provide assistance to the LGBT community and anyone fleeing the war in Ukraine.
PLEASE DONATE: WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IN UKRAINE, AT THE BORDERS AND BEYOND – NO CONTRIBUTION IS TOO SMALL!
EL*C is operating at the borders with Ukraine providing emergency support and housing, supplying essential goods and services, but also ensuring long-term solutions for refugees through our lesbian hosting network, as well as organising humanitarian aid for our community in Ukraine, in coordination with our partners NGOs.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
These actions are URGENT and COSTLY.
So far we have been relying on our own human and financial resources, but we will rapidly run out of our reserves, while the needs and demand are increasing.
We need your support to ensure the SUSTAINABILITY of the different actions – in Ukraine, at the borders and beyond.
Please consider DONATING, and read below about other ways to HELP!
WHAT WE ARE DOING
EL*C has mobilized to provide support through the following actions:
1) Emergency support at the borders of Ukraine in all neighbouring countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, and Romania)
· Operating a 24/7 emergency helpline
· Organising pick-ups at the borders and transportation to the safe houses
· Managing emergency safe housing
· Provision of essential goods (food, medicine, hygiene products, clothes, etc)
· Coordination with NGO partners in neighbouring countries
2) Relocation to countries across Europe, through our Lesbian Hosting Network
3) Provision of information and services, including psychological, medical and legal support, help in obtaining other needed services and accessing rights
4) Collecting and organizing delivery of humanitarian aid in Ukraine
5) Providing financial assistance to lesbian* organisations in the neighboring countries or inside Ukraine.
On March 2nd, we started operating a 24/7 hotline and set up a reception system & shelters at the borders. Within 24 hours, the members of the EL*C team on the ground were picking up the first rainbow families, with their children, dog and bikes, and bringing them to safety.
Since then, we have received numerous requests for help or information, and coordinated the safe transportation and housing of refugees through our network of around 200 lesbian households ready to be hosts from all over Europe. And the network keeps growing, while the first hosts are preparing to welcome families in the Netherlands and Portugal.
With every day, we do our utmost to react swiftly and provide adapted solutions to each situation – the lesbian couples, the families with toddlers, the families with grand-parents, folks with their cats, dogs or pet rats, and everybody else that comes to us.
We spare no efforts to provide what is needed, including solutions for particular individual circumstances or medical conditions.
According to recent estimates from the United Nations, over one and half million Ukrainian refugees have already left their country, fleeing the conflict that began last week with Russia’s invasion. Many more are expected to cross the borders in the coming days.
We want also to draw your attention toward the specific situation of people of color that are having a harder time getting out of Ukraine. As EL*C we welcome all of them.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
❖ DONATE on our fundraiser
❖ JOIN our hosting network by filling out this form (link )
❖ SHARE this call for support around you
❖ FOLLOW us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with our actions
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT !
#LGBTRefugeesWelcome
#BlackRefugeesWelcome
PLEASE DONATE: WE NEED YOUR HELP TO SUPPORT OUR COMMUNITY IN UKRAINE, AT THE BORDERS AND BEYOND – NO CONTRIBUTION IS TOO SMALL!
EL*C is operating at the borders with Ukraine providing emergency support and housing, supplying essential goods and services, but also ensuring long-term solutions for refugees through our lesbian hosting network, as well as organising humanitarian aid for our community in Ukraine, in coordination with our partners NGOs.
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
These actions are URGENT and COSTLY.
So far we have been relying on our own human and financial resources, but we will rapidly run out of our reserves, while the needs and demand are increasing.
We need your support to ensure the SUSTAINABILITY of the different actions – in Ukraine, at the borders and beyond.
Please consider DONATING, and read below about other ways to HELP!
WHAT WE ARE DOING
EL*C has mobilized to provide support through the following actions:
1) Emergency support at the borders of Ukraine in all neighbouring countries (Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Moldova, and Romania)
· Operating a 24/7 emergency helpline
· Organising pick-ups at the borders and transportation to the safe houses
· Managing emergency safe housing
· Provision of essential goods (food, medicine, hygiene products, clothes, etc)
· Coordination with NGO partners in neighbouring countries
2) Relocation to countries across Europe, through our Lesbian Hosting Network
3) Provision of information and services, including psychological, medical and legal support, help in obtaining other needed services and accessing rights
4) Collecting and organizing delivery of humanitarian aid in Ukraine
5) Providing financial assistance to lesbian* organisations in the neighboring countries or inside Ukraine.
On March 2nd, we started operating a 24/7 hotline and set up a reception system & shelters at the borders. Within 24 hours, the members of the EL*C team on the ground were picking up the first rainbow families, with their children, dog and bikes, and bringing them to safety.
Since then, we have received numerous requests for help or information, and coordinated the safe transportation and housing of refugees through our network of around 200 lesbian households ready to be hosts from all over Europe. And the network keeps growing, while the first hosts are preparing to welcome families in the Netherlands and Portugal.
With every day, we do our utmost to react swiftly and provide adapted solutions to each situation – the lesbian couples, the families with toddlers, the families with grand-parents, folks with their cats, dogs or pet rats, and everybody else that comes to us.
We spare no efforts to provide what is needed, including solutions for particular individual circumstances or medical conditions.
According to recent estimates from the United Nations, over one and half million Ukrainian refugees have already left their country, fleeing the conflict that began last week with Russia’s invasion. Many more are expected to cross the borders in the coming days.
We want also to draw your attention toward the specific situation of people of color that are having a harder time getting out of Ukraine. As EL*C we welcome all of them.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
❖ DONATE on our fundraiser
❖ JOIN our hosting network by filling out this form (link )
❖ SHARE this call for support around you
❖ FOLLOW us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter to keep up with our actions
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT !
#LGBTRefugeesWelcome
#BlackRefugeesWelcome
EL*C has always put great attention in highlighting the issues faced by lesbians in healthcare. Healthcare systems that take into account and respond to lesbians’ needs is one of EL*C strongest demand.
The present report is a summary of the findings, data and information that we were able to collect in these years of work and collaboration with researchers, activists, experts and organisations engaging in countering the effects on lesbians of sexist and heteronormative oppression in healthcare.
Lesbians, being at the intersection of these societal issues, are particularly affected by them. This results in discrimination, disregard and ignorance of our specific needs as well as invisibility in research and data collection. Because of this, there are direct and worrisome consequences on lesbians’ physical and mental health and those institutions that perpetuate the system are directly responsible.
Many initiatives exist at the community level, many lesbians put work and expertise into this effort. We addressed this report to the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, but our findings concern a much broader audience. The pandemic has put healthcare on the agenda and we could not fail to notice our underrepresentation and invisibility in those debates. It is time that public authorities, services providers, funders and academia start to take care of lesbians.
Download the full report here!
EL*C has always put great attention in highlighting the issues faced by lesbians in healthcare. Healthcare systems that take into account and respond to lesbians’ needs is one of EL*C strongest demand.
The present report is a summary of the findings, data and information that we were able to collect in these years of work and collaboration with researchers, activists, experts and organisations engaging in countering the effects on lesbians of sexist and heteronormative oppression in healthcare.
Lesbians, being at the intersection of these societal issues, are particularly affected by them. This results in discrimination, disregard and ignorance of our specific needs as well as invisibility in research and data collection. Because of this, there are direct and worrisome consequences on lesbians’ physical and mental health and those institutions that perpetuate the system are directly responsible.
Many initiatives exist at the community level, many lesbians put work and expertise into this effort. We addressed this report to the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, but our findings concern a much broader audience. The pandemic has put healthcare on the agenda and we could not fail to notice our underrepresentation and invisibility in those debates. It is time that public authorities, services providers, funders and academia start to take care of lesbians.
Download the full report here!