Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Research Convening

April 30–May 1, 2026 | Harvard Kennedy School

At a moment of profound challenge and transformation for LGBTQI+ communities worldwide, the Carr-Ryan Center for Human Rights at Harvard Kennedy School, in partnership with the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, convenes a global community of scholars, practitioners, and human rights defenders to advance cutting-edge research and collective insight.

This inaugural Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Research Convening brings together the first cohort of Global LGBTQI+ Human Rights Fellows, representing diverse geographies including Kenya, Pakistan, Morocco, Canada, South Africa, and the United States. Their work spans disciplines and methodologies, but is united by a shared commitment to advancing dignity, safety, freedom, and equality for LGBTQI+ people globally.

Over two days, the convening will feature a series of research panels chaired by leading Harvard faculty and program affiliates, who will serve as respondents and engage directly with Fellows’ work.

This convening is designed not only as a presentation of research, but as a launchpad for an enduring global research community—one that connects scholarship with practice and evidence with action.