Introduction
At Development Consortium, we are committed to building a world where diversity is embraced, inclusion is intentional, and equity is a lived reality. Aligned with Sustainable Development Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), our Diversity and Inclusion work tackles stigma, promotes social justice, and ensures meaningful participation of individuals across identities, backgrounds, and experiences.
​
Through our Sexual and Reproductive Health program, our initiative focused on guiding adolescents toward a happy, healthy adulthood, our work on Queer Feminist Advocacy & Support, and our HIV Care Program, we address the gaps that prevent people from accessing services, expressing their identities, or participating fully in society. Whether by engaging with adolescents online, providing psychosocial care to LGBTQIA+ communities, enabling access to HIV services for people living with HIV, or promoting rights-based leadership in campuses and communities, our programs challenge harmful norms and work toward transforming systems from within.
​
Across all our initiatives, we remain focused on building a future where no one is excluded because of who they are, how they love, or what they need to live with dignity.
Breaking Stigma and Promoting Sexual Health For All
Our Sexual and Reproductive Health program, delivered through Love Matters, creates safe digital spaces where young people can access accurate, shame-free, and pleasure-positive information on love, sex, and relationships. The platform supports users with medically reliable and culturally relevant content, especially those from marginalized genders and communities who often lack access to judgment-free SRHR services.
​
Through multimedia storytelling, anonymous chat support, and national campaigns, the program empowers individuals to understand their rights, make informed choices, and seek the care they need. With a growing reach across India, this initiative also connects young people with referral networks, helplines, and expert voices to support their emotional and physical well-being.
​
Supporting Adolescents In Their Journey to Adulthood
Our initiative focused on guiding adolescents toward a happy, healthy adulthood is delivered through TeenBook, India’s first bilingual digital platform offering age-appropriate, inclusive content on life skills and mental well-being. From puberty and peer pressure to identity, emotions, and online safety, TeenBook supports adolescents aged 13–19 in navigating the challenges of growing up.
​
The platform features interactive content, a popular anonymous advice column (Ask Disha), and engagement tools like podcasts, quizzes, and real-life stories. It also integrates with school programs through resource packs and teacher toolkits, encouraging safe conversations around adolescence in classrooms. By equipping young people with clarity, confidence, and self-awareness, the initiative helps shape a generation that is informed, emotionally resilient, and inclusive.
Creating Inclusive, Queer-Affirming Spaces and Leadership
Our Queer Feminist Advocacy & Support initiative works to build safe, intersectional spaces where LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies can thrive. Originally launched under Nazariya, the program supports queer communities through peer support groups, long-term fellowships, capacity-building workshops, and public engagement.
​
The initiative deepens understanding around gender and sexuality beyond the binary, offering psychosocial support while also addressing systemic gaps in education, mental health access, and legal awareness. It engages youth and institutions to co-create inclusive environments and advocates for community-led narratives that center dignity, agency, and justice for all identities.
Ensuring Care and Support For People Living With HIV
Our HIV Care Program, implemented through SSHAKTI, focuses on strengthening community-based support systems for people living with HIV (PLHIV). The initiative bridges the critical gap between health services and community needs by offering counseling, follow-up, and linkage to care—especially for individuals at risk of becoming lost to follow-up.
​
Operating in coordination with India’s National AIDS Control Programme, the program prioritizes vulnerable populations—including pregnant women, adolescents, and marginalized groups—ensuring continuity of treatment and emotional support. By combining field outreach with digital tracking, stakeholder training, and community engagement, the initiative helps reduce stigma and strengthen the HIV care continuum.