Égides

Égides, formally the International Francophone Alliance for Equality and Diversities (Alliance internationale francophone pour l'égalité et les diversités), is an international non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of LGBTQI communities across the French-speaking world. Founded in May 2019 in Montreal, Canada, it was created in response to a major gap in international LGBTQI advocacy: Francophone communities—particularly those in the Global South—historically had limited access to resources and were underrepresented in international spaces due to linguistic and cultural barriers. By uniting LGBTQI organizations where French is a common language, Égides helps amplify their voices, build stronger networks, and promote more equitable access to global LGBTQI rights movements. The organization is based in Montreal and is constituted under the Canada Not-for-profit Corporations Act. It has more than 210 member organizations in 33 French-speaking countries and territories. Membership includes active voting members (LGBTQI civil society NGOs/NPOs) and associate non-voting members (allies and partners). Égides is governed by a 16-member Board of Directors—9 elected on a regional basis, 5 representing underrepresented groups within the LGBTQI community, and 2 co-chairs—serving two-year terms. The Board is supported by a salaried secretariat. Égides' mission is to facilitate international networking and mobilization among Francophone LGBTQI organizations and activists, ensure their access to technical resources in French for strengthening their capacities and actions, and promote the availability of accessible and appropriate funding tailored to the issues, needs, and priorities of LGBTQI communities in Francophone regions. Its vision is a world in which equality of rights is fully realized in Francophone spaces for people made vulnerable or excluded because of their sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sexual characteristics. The alliance organizes an international conference every two years ahead of its annual general assembly, modeled on ILGA. The first conference and general assembly took place in June 2021, delayed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was held online from Geneva in partnership with the Centre Maurice Chalumeau en Sciences des Sexualités of the University of Geneva and the City of Geneva. The second international conference was announced for Cotonou, Benin, in August, then October 2023 to coincide with the annual congress of the Association internationale des maires francophones (AIMF), but ultimately took place online in early November 2023. In 2021, Égides launched the Fonds Charlot Jeudy, a fund supporting diversities and inclusion, named in honor of Charlot Jeudy, a Haitian activist and member of Égides' first committee, who was assassinated in November 2019. In 2023, Égides and the Global Philanthropy Project (GPP) published a joint report on the challenges of funding Francophone LGBT communities, presented for the first time at the Pan Africa ILGA conference in Mauritius. Égides also publishes a monthly French-language press review, "Aux nouvelles," covering LGBTQI news across different regions, and produces resources such as the podcast "À nous: le podcast des jeunes LGBTQI francophones."

Égides, the International Francophone Alliance for Equality and Diversities, was founded in May 2019 in Montreal, Canada. Its creation followed a series of initiatives aimed at addressing the underrepresentation of Francophone LGBTQI communities in international advocacy. In April 2017, the Government of Quebec unveiled a new international policy for the advancement of LGBT rights. On August 18, 2017, Fierté Montréal organized the first international LGBTQI conference in the Francophonie, titled "Conférence internationale Égalité et légalité sur la diversité sexuelle et la pluralité des genres dans la francophonie," bringing together more than 225 activists and academics from over 20 countries across 5 continents. The conference's scientific committee recommended that the Quebec government support the creation of an international Francophone network. On June 11, 2018, the Government of Quebec granted a CAD 4 million subsidy over 5 years to Montréal International for the creation of an international Francophone network for the protection and advancement of LGBTQI rights. Stéphanie Vallée, then Minister of Justice, Attorney General of Quebec, and Minister responsible for the Fight against Homophobia, stated: "The Government of Quebec wishes not only to continue to play an active role on the international scene for the full recognition of LGBT rights, but also to act as a leader in this file. We are proud to contribute to greater openness toward sexual diversity, here and elsewhere, and to participate in the Global Conference of the Equal Rights Coalition." On August 18 of the same year, the Quebec government organized the workshop "Être francophones et issus de minorités sexuelles: défis supplémentaires et obstacles potentiels" to identify challenges faced by Francophone sexual minorities and discuss improved international cooperation and solidarity. In March 2019, a Francophone pre-conference was organized ahead of the ILGA international conference in Wellington, New Zealand. At that conference, Francophone members failed to have French recognized as ILGA's third official language, after English and Spanish. The network was officially launched on May 16, 2019, during a ceremony broadcast simultaneously in 7 Canadian embassies and Quebec delegations and several partners worldwide. It was named Égides, after the legendary shield of Greek mythology, pluralized to reflect "the great diversity and inclusion of LGBTQI communities around the world." Égides organizes an international conference every two years ahead of its annual general assembly, modeled on ILGA. The first conference and general assembly took place in June 2021, delayed by one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Organized jointly with the Centre Maurice Chalumeau en Sciences des Sexualités of the University of Geneva and the City of Geneva, it was broadcast from Geneva because health conditions did not allow in-person attendance. The City of Geneva proposed a pre-conference on the role of local public authorities in combating discrimination against LGBTQI people. The second international conference was announced for Cotonou, Benin, in August, then October 2023 to coincide with the annual congress of the Association internationale des maires francophones (AIMF) in the same city. It ultimately took place online in early November 2023. In 2021, noting that few resources were allocated internationally to LGBTQI projects in Francophone countries, Égides launched the Fonds Charlot Jeudy, supporting diversities and inclusion, named in honor of Charlot Jeudy, a Haitian activist and member of Égides' first committee, who was assassinated in November 2019. In 2023, Égides and the Global Philanthropy Project (GPP) published a joint report on the challenges of funding Francophone LGBT communities, presented for the first time at the Pan Africa ILGA conference in Mauritius. Égides also publishes a monthly French-language press review, "Aux nouvelles," and produces resources such as the podcast "À nous: le podcast des jeunes LGBTQI francophones."

• Government of Quebec unveils new international policy for the advancement of LGBT rights.

• Fierté Montréal organizes the first international LGBTQI conference in the Francophonie, bringing together over 225 activists and academics from more than 20 countries.

• Government of Quebec grants CAD 4 million over 5 years to Montréal International for the creation of an international Francophone LGBTQI network.

• Quebec government organizes workshop "Être francophones et issus de minorités sexuelles: défis supplémentaires et obstacles potentiels."

• Francophone pre-conference held ahead of ILGA international conference in Wellington; French fails to become ILGA's third official language.

• Égides officially launched during a ceremony broadcast simultaneously in 7 Canadian embassies and Quebec delegations.

• First international conference and general assembly held online from Geneva, delayed by COVID-19.

• Launch of the Fonds Charlot Jeudy, supporting diversities and inclusion.

• Égides and Global Philanthropy Project publish joint report on funding challenges for Francophone LGBT communities.

• Second international conference held online, originally planned for Cotonou, Benin.

A Francophone international alliance for LGBTQI equality and diversities, bridging linguistic and cultural gaps in global LGBTQI advocacy.

• Fonds Charlot Jeudy

  A fund supporting diversities and inclusion, named in honor of Haitian activist Charlot Jeudy.

• International Francophone LGBTQI Conference

  Biennial conference organized ahead of the annual general assembly, modeled on ILGA.

• Aux nouvelles

  Monthly Francophone press review of LGBTQI news.

• À nous: le podcast des jeunes LGBTQI francophones

  Podcast for young Francophone LGBTQI people.

1. 1L'Alliance internationale francophone pour l'égalité et les diversités | Egides.orgegides.org
2. 2About Égides | Egides.orgegides.org
3. 3À propos | Egides.orgegides.org
4. 4L'Alliance internationale francophone pour l'égalité et les diversités | Egides.orgegides.org
5. 5Égideswikidata.org
6. 6Égidesfr.wikipedia.org