Resources for LGBTIQ+ UN Personnel During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The difficult issues facing LGBTIQ+ individuals working in the UN are being compounded and magnified during COVID-19, in particular for LGBTIQ+ people working in duty stations in countries that criminalise LGBTIQ+ people, and LGBTIQ+ people who are in isolation with homophobic, lesbophobic, biphobic or transphobic household members or with an abusive or violent partner. Additionally, the services and advice offered by our employers are often not tailored for LGBTIQ+ personnel and therefore often fall short in meeting our needs. 

We will be adding resources that come to our attention here, as they become available. If you have any additional resources from your agency or office that you’d like to see here, please send a message to us at OHRM_GLOBE@un.org.

Official United Nations Guidance

From the United Nations Secretariat & Agencies:

• FAQ on Medical Insurance
  (Release as of 17 April 2020)

• Wellbeing tips for UN Personnel

• UN Mental Health Matters, A Healthy Workforce for a Better World

• Crisis preparedness guide for staff and families (Crisis Preparedness and Support Unit)

• EarthMed Portal for reporting symptoms and cases for care through the United Nations Medical Services
  (for staff at UN Secretariat, UNICEF, IAEA, WIPO, UNDP, UNWOMEN, & UNFPA)

• Guidance to address Domestic Abuse and other forms of Gender-Based Violence (UNWOMEN)

Other Resources

Webinars and Meetings

• UN-GLOBE Webinar: Seen, heard and equipped; LGBTIQ+ Mental Health & COVID-19

  • Webinar Recording: Emotional First Aid, Mental Health First Aid and Well-being

  • Webinar Recording: Creating LGBTQI Safe Spaces and Keeping Well

• OUTRight International COVID-19 Webinar Series

Meditation and Relaxation Tools

• Headspace Meditation
  Please check with your agency on whether you have access to a free Headspace license.
  
  For staff at the Secretariat, here is how to enroll:

  • Visit: https://work.headspace.com/un/join

  • Enter your UN email address (xxxx@un.org)

  • You will receive an email from Headspace confirming your eligibility. Please click the link, or copy and paste it in your browser to access the Headspace website

  • Create a Headspace account with your own personal email (We recommend creating the Headspace account using personal emails to facilitate the transition and keep your own account, should you leave the UN, or if the UN discontinues the partnership in the future. Also, please note that the UN will have no access to the data exchanged between Headspace and individual users, including the personal email address used to create the account.)

  • Download and install the Headspace app on your phone or tablet.

  • Start enjoying your free Headspace subscription!

• 10% Happier 
  Running free daily meditations which are posted on YouTube and their app

• Liberate Meditation 
  An app empowering Black, Indigenous and People of Color on their meditation journeys

• Insight Timer 
  Hundreds of free guided meditations

• Sleep Music 

  • Singing Pines by Headspace

  • Forgotten Shape by Headspace

  • The Melody of Memories by Pinkaide

  • Nature Rain Walk by Nomadic Ambiance

  • Brahmari (Bee Humming Breath) by Anshuka Yoga

• Yoga Practice

  • Yoga with Adrienne

  • Yoga for Complete Beginners

  • Sivananda Yoga

  • Yoga Gentle Vinyasa Flow (Spanish)

Helpful Articles & Apps

• Long-Distance Relationships During COVID-19

Community Outreach, Donations, and Volunteer Opportunities

• Flyer for neighbor check-ins (English / Español)

• New York LGBTQI Homeless services still need to take care of their vulnerable young people

  • New Alternatives

  • Ali Forney