Pakistan: Targeted harassment and expulsion of transgender individuals across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa needs to stop
On 10 September 2025, Swabi city police raided a music show and arrested 226 individuals, including several transgender individuals, for allegedly resisting the raid among other charges. The musical show was accused of playing “immoral” songs and showcasing “obscene dances.” On 14 September 2025, a committee of elders was formed in the Swabi district of […]
Joint submission to the report of the Office of the High Commissioner for HumanRights on integrated approaches to the promotion and protection of human rights and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda
The joint submission by ILGA Asia and One Future Collective (India) to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) highlights the persistent and worsening discrimination, violence, and criminalization faced by LGBTIQ people across Asia. The report emphasizes that despite some legal advancements, such as the recognition of gender identity and same-sex partnerships […]
India: Kerala Police apprehends gang targeting LGBTIQ persons through dating apps
In August, Kerala Police apprehended four individuals who used the dating app Grindr to target LGBTIQ individuals and robbed and extorted them. The police opened investigations after one of the victims lodged a formal complaint against them. The assailants had deleted the victim’s phone data through a factory reset and relied on the cyber forensic […]
India: Madras High Court states same-sex couples can form a family without marriage
On 22 May 2025, the Madras High Court issued a landmark decision that reaffirmed the concept of chosen family and stated that same-sex couples could constitute a small family unit even without marriage. The Court stated that, “Marriage is not the sole mode to found a family. The concept of “chosen family” is now well […]
Pakistan: Punjab provincial government launches a comprehensive skill training programme for transgender individuals
On 11 April 2025, the Punjab Government’s Chief Minister launched a comprehensive skills training programme for transgender individuals, also known as the Pehchan Programme, to provide them with various technical and vocational skills as a means of economic independence. This new initiative from the Punjab government is a heartening effort from the provincial government to […]
Bangladesh: Student Protests, Government Transition, and Implications for LGBTIQ Communities
In 2024, university students across Bangladesh started peaceful protests demanding the government abolish the increased quota in civil service jobs reserved for the families and descendants of veterans from Bangladesh’s war for independence in 1971. As the state crackdown on the protests turned violent, the protests became more widespread leading to a Supreme Court decision rescinding the quota for […]
Nepal: Marriage Registration for Same-Sex Couples after seminal court ruling
On June 28, 2023, the Supreme Court of Nepal passed an interim order in the case of Pinky Gurung vs Government of Nepal, instructing the government to take measures to temporarily register marriages for same-sex couples, including individuals with “other” gender markers. Despite administrative and procedural hurdles thereafter, Surendra Pandey and Maya Gurung, a cis-man […]
ILGA Asia 2024 Human Rights and Sustainable Development Mechanisms Training for South Asian LGBTIQ Activists
Call for Applications ILGA Asia is thrilled to share this call for applications for our upcoming, in person training taking place from 6 – 9 September 2024, venue TBA. The training will be dedicated to the capacity building of 20 LGBTIQ activists and human rights defenders based across Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, […]
India: Tamil Nadu draft policy to promote LGBTIQA+ inclusion through a ‘State Commission for Sexual and Gender Minorities’
In a commendable stride towards promoting social inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, transgender and intersex individuals, the Tamil Nadu state government has proposed a draft policy with various positive recommendations, including the constitution of a State Commission for Sexual and Gender Minorities. The state of Tamil Nadu has been a pioneer in introducing and […]
Sri Lanka: Amendment in Police Guidelines as a necessary first step towards ensuring access to justice for LGBTIQ persons
On November 2nd 2023, Sri Lankan LGBTIQ rights organization and member of ILGA Asia, EQUAL GROUND achieved a milestone victory for LGBTIQ persons’ access to justice. Based on a complaint made to the Court of Appeal by EQUAL GROUND, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) of Sri Lanka agreed to amend a Police Circular from […]
India : Supreme Court’s Verdict on Marriage Equality
India : Supreme Court’s Verdict on Marriage Equality On 17 October 2023, a five-judge constitution bench of the Indian Supreme Court delivered its verdict in the plea for marriage equality in India. While we applaud the Court for recognising that ‘queerness is a natural phenomenon’ and that queer individuals deserve protection from discrimination, we express our disappointment […]
Pakistan: Ensure Protection, Safety, and Dignity for all Afghan Asylum Seekers, including LGBTIQ+ persons.
Statement originally published on Equal Asia Foundation. https://equalasiafoundation.medium.com/pakistan-ensure-protection-safety-and-dignity-for-all-afghan-asylum-seekers-including-lgbtiq-44ef0e7042e1 We are deeply concerned about the recent developments in Pakistan, where the government has ordered an estimated 1.7 million Afghan asylum seekers, including many vulnerable individuals and families, to leave the country by November. This decision comes after escalating tensions along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and a series […]