MISSION AND VISION
We are an organisation led by LGBTIQ+ activists inside and outside mainland China. We have a vision of a more just, equal and inclusive China where LGBTIQ+ live a life with dignity. Our mission is to bring resources to the Chinese LGBTIQ+ movement and serve as a bridge internationally.
WHO WE ARE
We are a collective consisting of 14 LGBTIQ+ activists of different genders and sexual orientations. Our members are currently located in mainland China, other parts of Asia, and Europe. Our combined expertise includes grant-making, grassroots organizing, research, rights advocacy and awareness-raising on LGBTIQ+, women’s rights and other intersecting issues. We work in Chinese and English.
We launched the China Rainbow Collective in December 2023 to respond to changing LGBTIQ+ organizational realities in China. These include a hesitancy among international LGBTIQ+ movements and funders to engage with domestic activists due to security-related risks; domestic LGBTIQ+’s need for support to keep up their work and health; and a desire of the growing group of Chinese LGBTIQ+ organisers based outside of China to contribute to the movement back home.
WHAT WE DO
Supporting Chinese LGBTQ movement getting through challenging time and continuously empower the community to champion the change.
- Secure support to grass-root LGBTQ activism
Although the civil society space for LGBTQ activists and organizations is shrinking sharply, grass-root LGBTQ groups and individual activists are still finding their way to continue their activism: organizing the community event, telling their stories on social media, supporting the community with legal aid and provide psychological support, etc. We are helping these grass-root activism to fund raise internationally and securely bridge the fund to them.
- Support queer activists at risks
Activists and community leaders in China are under growingly serious political pressure. They and their family members and colleagues have been regularly questioned, harassed and intimidated so as to stop their activism. Some even have detained, forced disappeared or arrested. They’re suffering serious mental pressure as well. To support these LGBTQ human rights defenders, we are providing short-term relocation program and well-being program to help these activists under risks to get through these difficulties and recover their energy to continue their activism.
- Research and strategy development
Research are conducted to better understand the current situation and needs of the movement and the community. In one way, this helps international community to better understand on what have been happening to the movement. In another way, research report on media, laws and the activism tactics will help to develop new strategies for the movement together with the activists on the ground.
- International advocacy
Aiming to bridging the community and the movement inside China with the international community, we relay the voices from our community to the whole world. Advocate for human rights of the LGBTQ community within UN mechanism and international platforms is another strategic goal of CRC.
