With deep sadness, we announce that GEM is temporarily reducing operations and pausing some activities due to an unexpected and severe funding cut — at a time when urgent requests from our community are at an all-time high.
This difficult decision affects the following:
🔸 Cash Assistance: All current urgent and non-urgent cases are paused due to lack of funds.
🔸 Job Postings: Recent openings (IT, Digital Security, Social Media, Case Manager) are on hold until further notice.
🔸 Team Structure: Parts of our team are operating at reduced capacity or without pay.
This crisis hits while GEM continues to respond to major emergencies affecting the Syrian LGBTQIA+ community — both inside Syria and in countries where we work in solidarity: Iraq, Lebanon, Gaza, and Turkey. In these regions, LGBTQIA+ individuals face heightened risks and urgent needs. The timing couldn’t be worse — and the need has never been greater.
Despite the challenges, our team is showing extraordinary commitment — even volunteering unpaid — and we remain determined to serve our community with every resource we still have.
We are working closely with our partners to navigate this crisis and seek urgent support to restore full operations. While our hands may be tied by funding, our commitment is not.
To our community: we are with you. We will not stop.
To our partners, allies, and supporters — thank you for standing with us in this critical time.
🚨 GEM has launched an urgent fundraiser through GlobalGiving, our trusted partner, to sustain life-saving operations.
If you’re able to support — even with a small amount — please consider donating.
Every contribution, big or small, helps us save lives and continue serving our community.
💜 Donate here: https://www.globalgiving.org/projects/help-gem-continue-serving-lgbtqia-lives/
