LGBT Association ‘LIGA’ Prague, 27/07/2017

History of the Organization

Mykolaiv Association for Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals ‘LIGA’ started working in 1993 as the Club of interests, which contained the creative group of poetesses, poets and painters from LGBT society. In 1994, the representatives of creative group of the Association participated in the international poetess contest Lesbian Prossa, which took place in the Netherlands. Ultimately, Mykolaiv poetess Viktoriia Amanova got the first prize. Feminist publication Only Women Press published works of creative group representatives. Viktoriia Amanova was the first and honorable president of the Association.

After several failures in registration of the Association in 1994-1995, the authorities of Mykolaiv City Council had finally admitted the right of the organization to exist. Mykolaiv Association for Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals ‘LIGA’ was registered by the authorities of Mykolaiv City Council on 26 December 1996. LIGA was one of the first officially registered non- governmental LGBT organization in Ukraine, which actively promotes the rights of community.

2004 - the organization opened the first Community Centre for MSM in Mykolaiv. Since 2006, Association ‘LIGA’ works in several regions of Ukraine. Regional cities of the South of the country became the priority regions. Association’s workers provided technical and financial support in registration of LGBT grass- roots organizations. More than 12 organizations were registered with LIGA’s help in more than 5 cities in Ukraine. Following these events, the Resource Centre of LIGA (hub) was established in 2011. It provides financial and technical support, mainly, to (1) the initiative LGBT groups willing to get status of an organization, (2) LGBT organizations needing help in daily work including fundraising, and (3) any other organization and professional group, which lacks information or has insufficient work experience on solving LGBT relating problems and questions.

2014 - the General Assembly of the Association made decision to adopt amendments to the Statute and change the name of Mykolaiv Association for Gays, Lesbians and Bisexuals ‘LIGA’. New name is Public Organization “LGBT Association ‘LIGA’”.

In the end of 2014 the separate departments of the organization were established in Odesa and Kherson.

In 2015 – separate department in Kyiv was established.

Mission of the organization is the voluntary joining of people with homosexual and bisexual orientation, transgender people to integrate them into the Ukrainian society by lobbying LGBT-community’s interests, providing informational, psychological, legal services, holding educational work about the healthy lifestyle promotion, and developing partner relationships with governmental and social structures at national and regional level.

PROGRAMS OF THE ORGANIZATION: THE RECOURSE CENTER programme. Goal: capacity strengthening of organisations and activists working for human rights promotion and provision of services for LGBT community. THE COMMUNITY CENTER programme Goal: providing conditions for the development and self-actualization of beneficiaries and volunteers of organisation. THE CENTER FOR INTERACTION WITH SOCIETY AND GOVERNMENT program Goal: creation of conditions for LGBT community integration into Ukrainian society.

SOME ADDITIONAL FACTS ABOUT US: Since 2009 LIGA annually held the Days of Equality and Pride event for LGBT (the Rainbow Spring festival) LIGA was the first LGBT organization in Ukraine which started trainings for parents of the community. Now we have a parental movement in support of LGBT. In 2011, the Network of Psychologists was established. This is an informal association of psychologists from all over Ukraine who work with MSM (men who have sex with men) and LGBT people. It was created together with the Public Health Alliance In 2016 LIGA prepared Context Analysis of LGBT People Situation in Ukraine. Over the entire period of its work, LIGA has implemented more than 20 projects.

LGBT Association ‘LIGA’ Thanks for attention  LGBT Association ‘LIGA’ Ukraine, Mykolaiv liga.lgbt@gmail.com lgbt.com.ua www.facebook.com/Association.LIGA