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Welcome to our first

A Welcome Message from the Executive Director

We are excited to share with you the first edition of the newsletter. Through this edition and the upcoming ones, we hope to keep you updated and engaged with the work of ASEAN SOGIE Caucus. 

In recent months, we have witnessed ample developments in the region which were facilitated by the enormous work of LGBTQIA+ activists. Singapore has finally repealed Section 377A of the Penal Code, which consequently decriminalizes consensual same-sex relations between men.

Vietnam's Ministry of Health issued a tall order to all public and private health providers to ensure SOGIESC-affirming health services and treat LGBTQIA+ persons with dignity. Cambodia provided the space for a fruitful dialogue with the UN Independent Expert on SOGI during his country visit. May these developments ignite further positive changes across the region.

We are releasing this newsletter right in time for the IDAHOBIT celebration. The theme of IDAHOBIT this year is "Together Always: United in diversity". 

Indeed this theme is very relevant in our region where LGBTQIA+ folks live in complex and extremely difficult contexts

We keep in mind our colleagues in Myanmar and Thailand who continue to challenge military dictatorships. We express solidarity with our fellow LGBTQIA+ folks living in economically dire situations who have a hard time accessing social protection programs.  

I wish to take this opportunity to reaffirm our commitment towards an intersectional approach in our work. ASC's advocacy for the advancement of LGBTQIA+ human rights treads along our struggles for democracy, social justice, and gender equality.

Our past events and ongoing activities

BEBESEA and ASEAN SOGIE Caucus are collaborating on a series of short videos in celebration of the IDAHOBIT 2023.

In this short video series, we are putting the spotlight on the intersection of LGBTQIA+, migration, and workers issues, featuring narratives of LGBTQ migrant workers facing discrimination, and LGBTQ refugees facing harsh conditions, among others.

Forging Intersectional Feminist Futures (FIFF) is a regional collaboration that aims to achieve systemic changes toward gender equality in Asia by strengthening intersectional movement-building. In March 2023, we conducted an Advocacy Road Map workshop with partners from the Philippines to initiate actions as an intersectional network.  

ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, in partnership with Jaringan Transgender Indonesia (JTID), Legal Dignity - Malaysia,GALANG - Philippines, and Arco Iris - Timor Leste, is developing feminist evidence-based advocacy in strengthening the regional advocacy work.

Feminist evidence-based advocacy features the feminist participatory action research (FPAR) as an approach to documenting evidence and narratives.

In February 2023, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus and partner organizations finally gathered in a face-to-face workshop on Developing Research Agenda to be undertaken by partners in their respective countries. The research will contribute to the literature on LGBTIQ issues and provide baselines for future interventions in the region.

LGBTQIA+ News in Southeast Asia

Australia Sets Up A New Fund for LGBTIQ+ rights in Asia-Pacific

The Australian Government has a unique opportunity to show leadership in Asia and the Pacific to advance LGBTIQ+ human rights. The federal government will initially allocate $3.5 million towards the fund.

Ahead of the Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference, we’re proud to release Partnering with Pride: The case for Australian action for equality in our region.

Partnering with Pride was written by leading LGBTIQ+ regional groups, the Global Philanthropy Project and Equality Australia.

ASEAN SOGIE Caucus joined the Sydney WorldPride in Australia.

Last March 2023 our Executive Director Ryan Silverio and Advocacy Officer Lini Zurlia attended the Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference and Pride March. Thousands of people marched together with the First Nations activist and the pioneer of the country’s pride protests.

It sends a strong reminder that pride remains a protest--a protest for those who cannot or those silenced to do so.

Our Executive Director, Ryan Silverio, was also featured on ABC Australia to speak on the new fund Australia is creating to dedicated toward the advancement LGBTIQ+ human rights.

UPR Outcome Document: Indonesia Steps Forward, Philippines Steps Back

The human rights situation of Indonesia and the Philippines were reviewed for the fourth time during the 4th Cycle of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in November 2022.              

Read our press statement in response to the Views on Conclusions presented by the government of Indonesia and the Philippines.