The ILGA Asia Conference hosted at the New World Saigon Hotel in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City from November 28th to December 2nd, 2022, with extensive support from ICS Centre stood out as a remarkable achievement for the LGBTIQ community. The conference, titled "Our Trials, Triumphs, and the Future We Demand," brought together LGBTIQ activists, community leaders, and a wide range of changemakers, including human rights defenders, civil society organisations (CSOs), community-based organisations (CBOs), government representatives, and donors.

Throughout the conference, our objectives remained clear and focused: raise awareness on pressing human rights issues affecting Asian LGBTIQ communities, foster regional solidarity, strategize against the influence of anti-rights forces, provide learning opportunities for activists, and amplify firsthand accounts of violence during political and military conflicts.

The thematic focus, seamlessly woven into the sessions and side events, included high-priority topics such as "LGBTIQ People in Crisis and Conflict: Stories of Survival and Resilience," "Faith, Culture, and LGBTIQ Inclusion: Reclaiming Spaces and Narratives," "Influencing Laws and Policies: National, Regional, and International Advocacy for Legal Equality and Justice," "Solidarity, Alliance, and Network Building: Establishing Inroads with Human Rights Movements Across Asia," and "Leaving No One Behind: Mainstreaming the Human Rights of LGBTIQ People throughout the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

The conference provided a strong platform for dialogue and served as an incubator for strategy development, exchange of crucial insights, and provided a platform for alliance building and network development. Additionally, our gathering provided a forum to discuss the numerous challenges confronting the Asian LGBTIQ community, illuminating pathways to legal equality, social inclusion, and justice.

The impact of our conference echoed deeply with our community members and pitched a collective mission toward a future in which the rights of all Asian LGBTIQ people are recognized, respected, and celebrated. The 9th ILGA Asia Conference illustrated our movement's strength, the power of our solidarity, and unwavering commitment in shaping an equal and inclusive future.

Read the Full Report Here

  • Aim: Explore the challenges that Asian LGBTIQ people face in various crises, and assess practical insights and policy recommendations. Investigate the hardships of LGBTIQ refugees and internally displaced persons affected by armed conflicts.

  • Aim: Learn how LGBTIQ advocates are shaping inclusive religious and cultural environments in Asia. Sessions to highlight counter-extremism efforts, including collaboration with faith leaders and communities to foster just narratives that combat discrimination and promote human rights.

  • Aim: Investigate national efforts to codify rights and provide access to justice for LGBTIQ people who face discrimination or violence. Learn about regional and international advocacy involving key actors such as the Asian Development Bank, the United Nations, and ASEAN. Sessions will provide clear explanations of advocacy processes, engaged stakeholders, and tangible outcomes, such as explicit rights protections, legal shifts, and positive trends in local communities.

  • Aim: Explore the collaborative efforts of Asian LGBTIQ activists in forging alliances with various Asian human rights movements. Sessions to emphasize ongoing programs and campaigns, as well as the importance of addressing intersecting issues and building solidarity with marginalized demographics throughout the region.

  • Aim: Examining how LGBTIQ individuals' human rights align with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with a focus on economic inclusion, social justice, gender equality, and health and well-being. Sessions to highlight successful campaigns and collaborations between LGBTIQ advocates and government actors, with an emphasis on knowledge, ownership, and SDG implementation at the local level.

Our Trials,
Our Triumphs,
And the Future
We Demand

CONFERENCE THEME

DAY 1 & 2
Preconferences

In keeping with our overarching strategic vision, the first two days of our conference were dedicated to pre-conference activities, strategically exploring key facets within the Asian LGBTIQ Advocacy, Humanitarian, and Research landscapes. This stage also demonstrated our unwavering commitment to fostering inclusivity and addressing diverse viewpoints notably through organizing dedicated pre-conferences, which were meticulously tailored to the specific needs and concerns of various communities. Lesbian, Intersex, Transgender, Bisexual, Interfaith, Youth, Sex Workers, Women, Marriage Equality Strategy, and Donor pre-conferences were among the topics covered.

DAY 3, 4, & 5
Sessions

Dynamic explorations took place from Days 3 to 5 of the conference. "LGBTIQ People in Crisis and Conflict" walked through obstacles, survival stories, and policy insights. Successively, "Faith, Culture, and LGBTIQ+ Inclusion" highlighted efforts to shape inclusive realms, combat extremism, and foster collaboration with faith leaders. "Influencing Laws and Policies'' deconstructed national, regional, and international advocacy, demystifying processes and demonstrating tangible results. "Solidarity, Alliance, and Network Building'' echoed collaborative efforts with various Asian human rights movements. Finally, "Leaving No One Behind" examined the intersection of LGBTIQ rights and the SDGs, highlighting impactful campaigns and collaborations that foster local change.

On day 3, 4, and 5 we had 32 Panel discussions, Capacity Building training, Fireside Chats, Roundtable discussions, and workshops, in addition to several side events, and performances, , plenaries, voting session on Board positions, and constitutional amendment session with our members.

The ILGA Asia conference reached a significant milestone with an impressive turnout of 398 participants, including 71 scholarship recipients, who enriched the diversity of perspectives at our event. The ICS Centre in Vietnam, our esteemed host organization, played a critical role that cannot be overemphasized. Their cooperation, alongside the support of various LGBTIQ organizations in Vietnam, resulted in a dedicated team of 50 volunteers, without whom organizing such a large gathering would have been an impossible feat.

The backbone of our operation was made up of ten diligent secretariat staff and twelve dedicated Board members, the latter serving us from 2019 to 2022. Their tireless dedication included seamless coordination and technical expertise, providing invaluable resources that shaped the success of the conference.

Furthermore, in our continuous commitment to promoting inclusivity, we mobilized the expertise of three sign language interpreters and two proficient Vietnamese language translators. Additionally, recognizing the importance of mental health, we ensured the presence of an on-site psychosocial counselor, reinforcing our commitment to participants’ care and support.

The conference had a dynamic program that included 32 panel discussions, and several Capacity Building training sessions, Fireside Chats, Roundtable discussions, and workshops. The event, which included engaging side events, captivating performances, plenaries, a voting session on Board positions, and a constitutional amendment session with our members.

To capture the essence and vibrancy of this monumental gathering, we recruited a talented media crew consisting of five members who are proficient in photography and videography.

Our Substantial Strides and Achievements

  • When queer folks are allowed to have space where they are safe and can express their authentic self, there will always be fireworks. To be honest, I was fidgeting in my seat on the first day of the conference. It seems like everyone knows everyone. I was starting to be anxious but I met the right people just at the right time. We discussee and debriefed sessions we attended. It made us realize the power of the bond, the queer bond, and it helped us understand that it's a powerful source of love, inspiration, and the motivation to do each art, and the task in dismantling the structures of oppression we contend with everyday.

    —Ram Botero

  • It was useful to gain updates on some of the advocacy, campaigning and organizing that was being done in a number of countries including - Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Japan to advance LGBTQI rights - as well as how LGBTQI movements in the region are responding to the deteriorating situation for LGBTQI rights in other countries including Afghanistan, Indonesia, and Malaysia. It was also interesting to learn more about ILGA-Asia's own efforts to increase its research capacity and support legal advocacy in the region.

    —Michael Heflin
    Global Grants Director,
    Outright International

  • There are communities who are experiencing hardship and difficulty but are still continuing their advocacy for the betterment of others. Always be kind and treat each other with respect. Allyship is important as well as working intersectionality

    —Jeff Cagandahan
    Chairperson,
    Intersex Philippines

  • I was able to get exposure to so many ways of activism in Asia and took inspiration personally so that I can be a better version of myself while working for the community.

    —Tarin Tani Bashar

  • The ILGA Asia Conference created a space of belonging for LGBTQIA+ activists which I felt very deeply. The conference made me feel that the challenges I experience in my local context as a trans activist are not very much different from other trans and queer activists across the region. I think Lini described it best when she mentioned double, triple whammies that LBQ+ women activists experience. Or as I understood it, the multiple burden of exclusions present in the communities we participate in.

    Vashti
    Programme Officer for Marginalised Groups of Women at IWRAW Asia Pacific
    Executive Director, Society of Trans Women of the Philippines

Thank you to our donors and partners!