Regional conference to explore future of LGBTI rights

Representatives from national human rights institutions, NGOs, governments and UN agencies in the Asia Pacific region will meet next year to discuss the progress made to protect the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and how to build on these efforts.

The regional conference, to be hosted by the APF and UNDP, will also reflect on the impact of the Yogyakarta Principles in countries across the region over the ten years since their release in March 2007.

"The Yogyakarta Principles are a powerful statement on the application of international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity," said Pip Dargan, Deputy Director of the APF secretariat and APF Gender Focal point.

"The ten-year anniversary is a timely opportunity to bring people to explore how they have been used to promote and protect the rights of LGBTI people, the challenges people have encountered in using the Principles and possible future directions," she said.

"The conference will also provide APF members with ideas and encouragement to strengthen their work in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTI communities in their respective countries"

The Yogyakarta Principles + 10 Conference will be held in Bangkok on 25-26 April 2017.

Professor Vitit Muntarbhorn, the United Nations first Independent Expert on sexual orientation and gender identity, has been invited to be one of a number of high-profile presenters at the conference.

The Yogyakarta Principles + 10 Conference is part of an ongoing program of cooperation between the APF and UNDP that aims to strengthen the capacity of national human rights institutions in the region to work with LGBTI communities and better advocate for their rights.

The program also includes:

• The release of a world-first publication, Promoting and Protecting Human Rights in relation to Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Sex Characteristics: A Manual for National Human Rights Institutions, in June 2016
• Three sub-regional blended learning courses for NHRIs and civil society organisations in the South Asia, South East Asia and Pacific sub-regions, which began in October 2016
• Support for NHRIs to mainstream into their strategic plans and work programs human rights issues concerning LGBTI people.
• Assistance for closer consultation between NHRIs and LGBTI communities.

Date: 21 November 2016