For the International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (IDAHOTB) 2020 commemoration, the World Bank (WB), the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) will collaborate on a virtual program of events from May 18-22 that will focus on research and data for “breaking the silence,” this year’s IDAHOTB theme.

The events will highlight the important role the MDBs are called to play in closing the SOGI data gap and will discuss ongoing and potential innovative approaches to data generation and evidence-based policymaking in their client countries. By virtually bringing together key SOGI research experts, policymakers, development professionals, and LGBTI civil society organizations, the joint IDAHOTB commemoration will draw attention to the discrimination, exclusion, and violence LGBTI people face globally and provide a platform to highlight successful examples of SOGI-inclusive data generation.

On May 18, we invite you to join the very first live discussion to kick off the week, which will focus on the Cost of Exclusion at 8:30 am EST (1:30 pm GMT). Follow the discussion live on Twitter: @WBG_SocialDev using #IDAHOTB2020 #BreakingTheSilence and #InclusionMatters