Manohar Elavarthi (born 4 September 1971) is a human rights activist who has been working for LGBTQ+ rights for over two decades. He is the founder of Sangama, a sexual minorities and sex workers' rights organisation. He also founded or headed rights-based NGOs like Aneka, Suraksha, Solidarity Foundation and Sanchaya Nele.

Early life

Manohar is born in Chittoor, Andhra Pradesh. He did his schooling in Gyarampalle, Chittoor District, Andhra Pradesh.

Advocacy

He supported in the formation of independent advocacy-focused community organisations like Karnataka Sexual Minorities Forum, Karnataka Sex Workers Union and Karnataka Vikalachethanara Sanghatane, an organisation of persons with disabilities in Chikkaballapura District. He is involved in advocacy for health rights of marginalised communities and mentored networks and platforms like South Asia Human Rights Association, Coalition for Sexual Minorities and Sexworkers Rights (based in Bangalore), National Network of Sex Workers, Bangalore Citizens Initiative for Peace, Narmada Solidarity Forum, and popularised Freedom Miles concept for Gender Justice and North-East Solidarity. In response to Nirbhaya incident, he organised a series of ‘Freedom Miles’ or public walks for women's safety in Bangalore. He is instrumental in Sangama taking up HIV prevention work. He was a member of the CCM-Global Fund (India Country Coordination Mechanism for The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria) and served as its vice-chair for a term of two years.https://india-ccm.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/CCM-Member.pdf

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Elavarthi, Manohar Living people Transgender rights activists Indian LGBT rights activists 21st-century Indian LGBT people 1971 births