About Us

About Us

Safe Access is a community-led initiative, and a flagship project under Qequal Foundation, a section 8 registered Not-for-Profit organization based in Delhi. 

We envision a world where LGBTQ+ community can access quality healthcare without the fear of judgment and discrimination.

 

The Problem

In a post-377 India, though homosexuality is now decriminalized, LGBTQ community continue to face barriers and challenges accessing health services. Discrimination in healthcare setting endangers LGBTQ community because of delays or denial of medically necessary care and as a result experience negative health outcomes.

This was reaffirmed in our survey of LGBTQ community across India,

Over 50% of the respondents were fearful of approaching healthcare providers because of prior negative experiences of homophobia and discrimination

82% of the respondents could not think of a doctor they could trust if they were to disclose their sexual orientation or gender identity for well-informed diagnosis

Our Approach

We aim to create awareness among healthcare providers on LGBTQ health challenges and list them on our website. The community can find, rate and review their experiences, thus gaining a voice to make a well-informed decision about their healthcare.

We believe these LGBTQ-friendly, affirmative and compassionate healthcare providers will become our allies and impart change to the broader medical fraternity.

  • All doctors, clinics, and labs listed at our platform have been consulted in-person on the challenges faced by the community and how to ensure a safe, non-discriminatory, non-judgmental experience accessing healthcare at their facilitates.
  • We do not charge any fees for being listed at our platform. We do not offer scheduling of appointments. There is no money exchanged through our web platform. We simply enable community to locate a provider in their cities that is sensitized by Safe Access.
  • A “Safe Access” sticker on the front-door ensures the community that the healthcare provider has pledged to provide non-judgmental, safe and non-discriminatory services irrespective of one’s gender identity, gender expression, sexuality or sexual orientation.
 

People of Safe Access

 

Shubham, Founder & CEO

Shubham is a queer feminist. At Safe Access, Shubham looks into strategy, management, fundraising and partnerships. Shubham is a Gandhi Fellow, Echoing Green Fellow, Senior Atlantic Fellow and Forbes 30 under 30 honorary. Prior to starting Safe Access, Shubham has worked on diverse domains like education, livelihood, gender issues.

Gautam, Program Coordinator

Gautam identifies as a trans-masculine person. He is working as Program Coordinator with Safe Access and has been a Safe Access Fellow, where he sensitised and mapped queer affirmative health service providers in Lucknow. He has closely worked with grassroot trans organisations. He is also a trained Peer Support Provider under the Community Wellbeing Project.

Dhaval, Director Programs & Strategy

Dhaval identifies as a cis gay man. He is responsible for design, development and implementation of strategic directives and programs at Safe Access. He has been actively involved in the LGBTQ+ rights movement for over two decades, and was a co-chair of Trikone, San Francisco, the oldest LGBTQ+ organization of south asian diaspora. Dhaval is a human-centric design strategist, a systems thinker and a technologist by profession.

Impact on UN SDGs

SDG 3: Good Health
and Well-Being

SDG 5: Gender Equality

SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

Our Supporters