(Presented in the 2010 International Dialogue in Buenos Aires, Argentina entitled Rising Through the Challenge: Documenting and Analysing Best Practices for Advancing Human Rights based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity/Expression)

Written By: Anne Lim, GALANG

As the main proponent of community organizing among Filipino LGBTs in poverty, we believe we have succeeded in `indigenizing’ community organizing strategies, despite the dearth of both literature on and experience in the application of community organizing in Philippine LGBT rights advocacy.

We consider our experience as a `best practice’, as it is innovative, as well as effective. Through the help of leader organizers, or organizers endemic to their community, we are able to help assess and address the issues facing urban poor lesbians in our partner communities—issues such as unemployment, sexual violence, internalized homophobia, and lack of access to health care.