News
MEND programme did much more than merely train journalists on gender sensitivity: Sources
View(s):By Mimi Alphonsus
It was reported this week—and amplified on social media—that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had spent $7.9 million “to teach Sri Lankan journalists how to avoid ‘binary-gendered language’”.
Elon Musk, who heads the Trump administration’s new Department of Government Efficiency, is among those who disseminated this information as part of a larger campaign to shut down USAID. The claims, however, are only partly correct, informed sources in Sri Lanka said.
The project that drew attention was “Media Empowerment for a Democratic Sri Lanka” (MEND) implemented by the International Research and Exchanges Board (IREX) with USAID funding. MEND originally spanned five years and was extended for two more, during which they worked on several programmes, said officials who worked with the project. They requested anonymity. They said that expanding gender-sensitivity was a part of the programming but not the most significant component.
MEND’s funding went towards a media exchange programme, investigative journalism workshops, web development grants for publications, teaching digital literacy, training on pandemic and election reporting, and grants to upgrade newsrooms, amongst other things. The Sri Lanka Press Institute (SLPI) and leading media outlets in Sri Lanka (which received newsroom training and grants for web development) were among the beneficiaries. The project ended last year.
On January 20, Trump issued an executive order to halt all US foreign aid for three months until a review was completed to ensure its “realignment” with US policy. In Sri Lanka, this has included funding to hundreds of NGOs working on livelihood support, domestic violence, labour rights, education, and climate change.
Prominent organisations like Sarvodaya, People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections, Women in Need and SAFE Foundation have been affected.
Trump called USAID “radical left lunatics” and has in particular criticised their activities related to climate change, contraception and LGBTQ+ rights. He also criticised USAID for corruption and a lack of accountability. As of Friday, February 6, all staff of the aid agency abroad were put on administrative leave.
| Lack of funds hits LGBTQ community in the East Donald Trump won the 2024 US presidential election on a campaign to end “wokeness” and put “America first”. USAID and State Department foreign aid was put on hold. The funding freeze and the political discourse around it have had far reaching consequences for LGBTQ+ groups in Sri Lanka. These groups advocate for progressive legal reforms, raise awareness on issues faced by the community, conduct civic rights education, and support LGBTQ+ people with accessing employment and health services. Anichcham Eastern Queer Collective, based in Batticaloa, is feeling the effects. In February, they were due to organise a workshop with government officials and police on supporting the transgender community but it will not take place due to the funding freeze. “Changing gender on ID cards often gets delayed because government officials don’t understand the process,” explained Janarthan Parameswaran, Anichcham’s director. “Because of the delays, transgender people often get harassed by the police.” Wearing women’s clothing, for example, while carrying a male identity card makes transgender people vulnerable to accusations of being imposters and police brutality. In the long term, Anichcham had planned to start a business for transgender people as employers hesitate to hire them and job opportunities are scarce. “Our work has fully stopped,” said Parameswaran, “and we had only just started.” While US funding was helpful to queer organisations like Anichcham, the influence of US political discourse has been anything but. “Rhetoric from the US is catching on here. It’s a good wake up call for all LGBTQ+ people around the world that our rights can be taken away at the drop of a hat,” said Rosanna Flamer-Caldera, the Executive Director of EQUAL GROUND, a non-profit advocating for LGBTQ+ rights which is not currently funded by USAID. “We must be vigilant.” But Flamer-Caldera maintains that this isn’t the first time changes on the global stage have seeped into the country. The LGBTQ+ movement in Sri Lanka has had ups and downs, whenever there’s a controversy online or internationally, she explained. “This isn’t the first Trump administration after all,” she said. Speaking on the changing US government and climate, Parameswaran, too, is noticing the effects. She points to demonstrations held in support of Trump and against the LGBTQ+ community. “People who were neither supporting nor opposing us have now turned against us,” she said, “now they see us as an enemy.” | |
The best way to say that you found the home of your dreams is by finding it on Hitad.lk. We have listings for apartments for sale or rent in Sri Lanka, no matter what locale you're looking for! Whether you live in Colombo, Galle, Kandy, Matara, Jaffna and more - we've got them all!