This 18-month long initiative led by Hivos and Coalition for Diversity and Action (CODIVA) focuses on tackling stigma and discrimination towards the LGBTI community in Timor-Leste by providing gender sensitization training to local authorities and institutions and also providing a safe space in the form of a clinic for HIV-related testing and dissemination of HIV-related information for the local community. CODIVA is the only LGBTI led-organization in Timor Leste. It was established within the implementation of the ISEAN Hivos program that aimed to strengthen the LGBTI community systems and provide capacity building for the community members to be able to advocate for their rights especially in health related issues within their country.

For this program, CODIVA works closely with the Human Rights Council of Timor-Leste to develop a module specific to Timor-Leste and LGBTI and to use it in 10 trainings to different institutions such as the police department, Army department, local authorities, and other agencies. These trainings are conducted to provide relevant tools and information in the local context that enables SOGIE related education delivered and sensitized among these institutions and for these institutions to better support the rights of LGBTI community in Timor-Leste. In addition, CODIVA will maintain the running of a local community center and clinic where the trans community is able to receive friendly psychological support from their peers, information on HIV, as well as HIV related testing. This center would also serve as a safe venue where members of the community could share experiences and therefore the agency towards human rights advocacy could grow from within the community members.