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Strategic Objective 1

Strengthened capacity of LGBTI civil society on working with human rights mechanisms:

  1. Provide training on human rights, especially engagement in UN mechanisms and documentation of human rights violations: There has been little engagement from LGBTI civil society in Asia in this area. Utilizing this strength from ILGA, ILGA Asia can bring in opportunities to civil society to learn how to make their government accountable at the global level and monitor their progress in advancing human rights. Training will be conducted at the subregional level and with existing sub-regional organizations such as ASEAN SOGIE Caucus and South Asian Human Rights Association to ensure ownership of local communities over their activities. 
  2. Support grassroots communities to document evidences of violence and discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, sex characteristic and used them for various UN human rights mechanisms: Despite widespread violence in the region, few cases have been properly documented and submitted to human rights mechanisms. Asia remains the region with lowest percentage of UPR recommendations on SOGIESC issues, with sex characteristic being non-existent. ILGA Asia after provides training to LGBTI activists will set up working group so they can support each other for this work.
  3. Respond to violations of LGBTI human rights or challenges of human rights mandates: Our strategy should not only be systematic, but should also be responsive to real time events and emergency cases. Our responses will also be opportunities to engage members and partner organization, increase regional awareness of violation of human rights, and build solidarity across Asia. Response to LGBTIQ human rights will include training on digital security, physical security, asylum for LGBTIQ activists.

Strategic Objective 2

Strategic objective 2 - Increased understanding and acceptance of the public on SOGIESC issues through key social influencers such as parents and family of LGBTI people and religious leaders:

  1. Engage religious discourse in advocacy messages: Religious fundamentalism is on the rise in several Asian countries. ILGA Asia will collaborate with interfaith partners to provide training on gender, sex and sexual diversity to religious leaders, compatibility with their religious doctrine based on existing studies. Religious leaders will be encouraged to sensitize the followers afterwards. ILGA Asia will closely work with Global Interfaith Network to develop a program for religious leaders and scholars.
  2. Empower family of LGBTI people and allies: In a society that prioritizes social harmony, improving the whole baseline of knowledge in gender and sexual diversity is crucial to achieving equality for LGBTI people. That should start with the family and those who are immediately related to LGBTI individuals. Non-LGBTI allies are powerful in making other non-LGBTI people understand how to accept diversity. ILGA Asia will support existing and emerging organizing of parents of LGBTI people around Asia. These groups are known to be good at spreading message of love and acceptance in society, but lacking the capacity in management, technology and finance. ILGA Asia and partner organizations within the country will provide support to fill in that gap.

Strategic Objective 3

Database for strategic information and knowledge sharing and building on SOGIESC issues in Asia:

  1. Develop a website: There is a lack of database for SOGIESC issues related to Asia and Asian context. Along with collecting evidences on human rights violations, ILGA Asia will also feature news and media, resources from our partners for knowledge building, and profiles of organizations working on SOGIESC issues in Asia. There is no online channel for LGBTI community in Asia like MSM-Asia (with a focus on HIV and gay men), or SOGI maintained by ARC International (with a global focus).  ILGA Asia will coordinate and maintain such channel to facilitate communication and knowledge sharing among LGBTI communities in the region.
  2. Develop a communication and advocacy strategy: A communication and advocacy strategy will be developed to consolidate not only these areas but will also create a more professional looking community based network, through development of website, communication products (newsletter, google groups), media kit and branding guidelines. Better planned communication will increase interaction with members in Asia, making ILGA Asia more approachable and more responsive, and expanding the memberships of ILGA in Asia (tentatively 150 members).

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Strategic Objective 4

Strengthened capacity of ILGA Asia Executive Board and Staff on governance, project management, financial management, monitoring and evaluation, and resource mobilization:

  1. Build organizational capacity for board members: ILGA Asia board members are experts in SOGIESC issues, but they may not yet be familiar with their role in the Executive Board, especially for those newly elected. There has been no written documents regarding transition and limited handover procedures in between the boards. Opportunities to exchange knowledge with previous board or other regional boards will be provided either in person or through online technology. Written manual will be produced to facilitate board transition.
  2. Establish and maintain the office in Bangkok to enable long term recruitment of staff members and simple financial transactions: ILGA Asia will be able to sponsor staff members to work in Thailand and receive funding from donors. Our physical presence in Bangkok will make it easy for ILGA Asia to collaborate with most regional organizations working on SOGIESC and create more synergies.
  3. Develop technical capacity for ILGA Asia staff: To effectively manage the program and deliver the results, both to our members and various stakeholders, ILGA Asia will need a more capable system in place, and the staff will need to develop and strengthen capacity in results-based program management,  operation, communication, monitoring and evaluation, and resource mobilization over the coming years.

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Strategic Objective 5

Solidarity of LGBTI communities in Asia through networking and collaboration:

  1. Organize ILGA Asia Regional Conference: ILGA Asia will maintain the biennial regional conference, the place where LGBTI communities cross Asia and beyond come together, update their works, exchange knowledge, and more importantly, to see each other face to face and build the solidarity, the unity of our community. This is something ILGA Asia has done well and will continue to do in the future.