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Open Society Foundations’ restructuring has affected global LGBTQ+ organizations, cutting off vital funding at a critical time when laws that go against the community are on the up. While OSF focuses on more strategic investments, advocates fear that could jeopardize the survival of smaller groups.
Also in today’s edition: We look at what women face in global development, and what’s available job-wise in Latin America.
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Collateral damage
The Open Society Foundations has moved forward with its new operating model, but the shift has led to significant pain points, particularly for LGBTQ+ organizations that relied heavily on its support, Devex Senior Reporter Michael Igoe writes.
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The foundation’s decision to end some grants for organizations outside the U.S. has left some without a crucial funding lifeline, threatening the survival of smaller groups, especially at a time when anti-LGBTQ+ laws are on the rise in countries such as Uganda and Ghana.
“Many of our grantees had previously gotten OSF funding. They don’t anymore,” Alli Jernow, vice president at the Arcus Foundation, tells Michael.
Before its restructuring, OSF was the leading foundation funder for LGBTQ+ rights, often providing substantial, multiyear grants that allowed organizations to grow and resist authoritarian movements. But the recent changes, driven by Alexander Soros, have included major layoffs and a shift in focus toward larger, more strategic investments in areas where OSF believes it can create significant change.
While OSF has issued "tie-off grants" to help organizations transition, advocates argue that the loss of consistent funding will be difficult to overcome, particularly as other major donors, such as the Netherlands and Sweden, are also pulling back. This restructuring, despite its intent to make OSF more agile, may leave a critical gap in support for LGBTQ+ rights globally, just when it’s needed most.
OSF’s new president, Binaifer Nowrojee, is tasked with navigating these changes. The foundation has promised to be "nimbler" in its future grant-making, focusing on seizing opportunities as they arise. However, experts warn that without the sustained support OSF once provided, the existing civil society infrastructure may struggle to capitalize on these opportunities, risking setbacks in the fight for global LGBTQ+ rights.
Read: Global LGBTQ+ orgs lose out in Open Society’s restructuring (Pro)
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Breaking barriers
Nyla, a Muslim woman of color, says she quickly realized her place in the global development sector was conditional. At her job, she was told outright that only one woman "who looked like her" was needed on the team, despite there being two positions. This sentiment persisted as she lost promotions to less qualified colleagues and was criticized for not being “the right face” for senior roles.
Such biases aren't isolated; they reflect a deeper issue in an industry that claims to fight inequality but often perpetuates it, Lauren Evans writes for Devex.
While women make up 70% of the global development workforce and hold 53% of CEO roles in the U.S., the numbers tell a different story for women of color. Only 8% of U.S.-based global development institutions are led by women of color, revealing a stark underrepresentation that underscores systemic discrimination.
Even those who do make it find themselves navigating a system that demands conformity to traditional leadership styles, often dominated by white, Western ideals. Their journeys illustrate that simply placing more women in leadership roles isn’t enough to create meaningful change.
The global development sector is steeped in traditional power structures, where genuine diversity and inclusion remain elusive. True change must come from the top, with senior leaders committed to transforming institutional cultures rather than paying lip service to diversity. Without this commitment, the industry will continue to fall short of its ideals, leaving women like Nyla to bear the brunt of its contradictions.
Read more: Women in leadership won’t solve development’s equality problem (Pro)
+ Localization is all the rage in development, but who’s actually doing it on the ground? We’re compiling a list of local organizations to watch and we’d like your help! Send a note to hayley.mundeva@devex.com if you’d like your organization to be considered or if you know of one that deserves to make it onto the list. Stay tuned next month for the results!
Bridging the digital divide
Access to digital technologies is a gateway to opportunities, yet many women and girls in Africa face significant barriers that hinder their ability to participate fully in the digital world. These barriers limit their educational and economic prospects and expose them to online violence, with studies showing that 16% to 58% of women and girls have been targeted.
The African Girls Can Code Initiative led by UN Women is tackling these challenges head-on, Devex contributor Madalitso Wills Kateta writes. Launched in 2018, this Pan-African program teaches girls aged 15 to 25 with coding and programming skills, positioning them to become future leaders in technology. As the demand for STEM jobs grows — expected to account for 50% of future employment — this initiative is crucial.
Despite progress, challenges remain. Systemic barriers, harmful social norms, and limited access to technology continue to restrict women's participation in the digital economy. However, efforts such as Rwanda's collaboration with UN Women, which helps women entrepreneurs adapt to digital platforms, and the Malawi Girls Can Code Too project, which aims to equip 7,500 girls with essential digital skills, show promise.
Read: How UN Women’s coding program is unlocking opportunities for African Girls
Cease-fires for health
A recently negotiated cease-fire in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo will help manage the country's escalating mpox outbreak, especially in South Kivu, Dr. Jean Kaseya, director-general of the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, said during a press briefing yesterday. The cease-fire was announced on July 30 by Angolan President João Lourenço, who had mediated the agreement between DRC and Rwanda.
In another part of the world, aid groups in Gaza called for a cease-fire to allow polio vaccinations for 640,000 children aged under 10 after the first case in 25 years was detected in Gaza on Friday.
ICYMI: Africa CDC declares mpox a public health emergency
Necesita ayuda
Latin America and the Caribbean offer vibrant opportunities for careers in the development sector, with over 9,200 job postings in the past year alone, my colleague Kristiana Louise Ortega writes.
Colombia tops the list with 1,546 job postings, particularly in Bogotá where organizations such as the Danish Refugee Council and Norwegian Refugee Council are actively hiring.
Check out the rest of the list — or explore current openings on the Devex job board to find your next career move in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Read: Who is hiring in Latin America and what they're paying (Career)
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In other news
Nicaragua has revoked the registration of 1,500 nonprofits in a continued crackdown, affecting religious and civil society groups. [CNN]
Argentine authorities have quarantined a cargo ship on the Paraná River due to a suspected case of mpox amid global concerns over the spread of a new variant. [Reuters]
Ukraine has enacted a historic law banning the Moscow-linked Orthodox Church, accusing it of complicity in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. [Al Jazeera]
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About the author
Helen Murphy
Helen is an award-winning journalist and Senior Editor at Devex, where she edits coverage on global development in the Americas. Based in Colombia, she previously covered war, politics, financial markets, and general news for Reuters, where she headed the bureau, and for Bloomberg in Colombia and Argentina, where she witnessed the financial meltdown. She started her career in London as a reporter for Euromoney Publications before moving to Hong Kong to work for a daily newspaper.
