Dear friends of APTN,
There have been turbulent times for us this year. We experienced public health measures including flight cancellations, restrictions on movement and border closures. All of these have not only made it difficult for my team at APTN to carry out our work, but have also affected the ability of our partners to reach those most in need. Despite experiencing funding limitations, paused activity and restrictions imposed to contain the pandemic, we turned our hearts and minds to reorganizing our approach. This was to ensure we would reach those who are otherwise unable to receive the support they most need at the time of the pandemic.
While COVID-19 continues to have a huge impact all around the world, affecting everyone’s lives, our community has experienced unique hardships as a result of the pandemic. The APTN COVID-19 Community Support Fund, launched in March, continued to provide grants to community groups and trans human rights defenders across Asia and the Pacific. Beyond this, we worked in numerous ways to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and to support our community through this difficult time, through both high-level advocacy and grassroots research. However, this is only one aspect of our network’s efforts in the second half of 2020. We have also been hard at work in many other areas of concern for the trans and gender diverse communities around the region, including advocacy for our rights, sexual and reproductive health and gender-affirming hormone therapy.
This pandemic has starkly exposed the vast social, economic and health disparities experienced by trans and gender diverse communities. We must continue to make trans people count, make them visible in government relief programmes and in regional and global spaces. Over the past year, we’ve hosted webinars and published research, factsheets and toolkits. Not surprisingly, in this roundup of our activities for the past six months, you will see that COVID-19 has been a major focus of our work for the trans and gender diverse community, and that COVID-19 has also forced us to rethink the ways in which we collaborate, support and connect with our community and the wider world.
We look forward to the coming year where our resilience is strengthened by stronger collaborations, solidarity and power in the movement.
APTN Team
An Open Letter to the World Health Organization for SOGIESC-inclusive strategies in response to COVID-19
In September, APTN joined forces with 19 other civil society organisations working to advance the rights of LGBTQI communities in Asia and the Pacific, to send an open letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO). This letter urged WHO to include aspects of sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) in its policies and programmes related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The letter highlighted the wealth of evidence showing how LGBTQI people are disproportionately affected by COVID-19. This included a report from the UN Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights on the effects of COVID-19 on LGBTQI people and communities, such as interruption of health services and denial of medical care. The letter called on WHO: to ensure that the challenges being faced by diverse SOGIESC communities during the COVID-19 pandemic will be given due attention; to integrate a SOGIESC-inclusive approach in their COVID-19 related guidance documents and reports; and to work closely with LGBTQI organisations and communities towards a more inclusive response to the pandemic.
Universal Periodic Review: A Joint Report on Transgender Issues
In October, APTN collaborated with TransgenderSG and Sayoni to submit a joint stakeholder report to the United Nations, in preparation for Singapore’s third Universal Periodic Review (UPR) in 2021. The UPR consists of an interactive dialogue between the Human Rights Council and member states about steps taken to advance human rights in their respective societies. Information submitted by civil society organisations can then be referenced by any of the states taking part in the review.
This joint submission by TransgenderSG, Sayoni and APTN is the first civil society report from Singapore to focus exclusively on transgender issues. Drawing on data from the first nationwide survey of Singapore’s transgender community, (conducted by TransgenderSG), and a research study (conducted by Sayoni), the submission addresses the following key areas of concern:
1. The difficult process of legal gender recognition (LGR), including the prohibitive cost of required genital surgeries;
2. Discrimination, abuse and restrictions facing transgender students;
3. Discrimination against transgender persons in the employment sector;
4. Discrimination and harassment in healthcare settings that discourage transgender persons from seeking necessary general and transgender healthcare, particularly in the areas of sexual and reproductive health; and limited access to transgender healthcare;
5. Access to marriage, decent housing and shelter; and
6. Violence against transgender or gender non-conforming adults, youths and children including physical, emotional and sexual violence from family members, the public or officials.
The submission also proposes key legislative, policy and programmatic actions to ensure that the human rights, safety and dignity of transgender people in Singapore are upheld by both state and non-state actors.
Stronger Together 2020 Summit – KPRA results findings
In November, Raine Cortes, Senior Project Manager at APTN, participated in the Hội nghị Cộng đồng Lgbtiq Cùng Vươn Xa – Stronger Together Summit 2020 together with nearly 140 participants from civil society organisations and NGOs, the UN family, embassies, the private sector, the health sector and government agencies from across Việt Nam. In a webinar streamed remotely from Bangkok, Raine presented the findings from APTN’s Key Population Research and Advocacy study together with our country partners, Centre for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI). This trans-led Key Population and Advocacy research focused on gaps and challenges trans and gender-diverse people experience while accessing health services, including HIV prevention and treatment services and gender-affirming health care.
The 10th Asia Pacific Conference On Reproductive And Sexual Health And Rights – HIV/AIDS and SRHR in Asia Pacific
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of The 10th Asia Pacific Conference On Reproductive And Sexual Health And Rights – HIV/AIDS and SRHR in Asia Pacific, which was due to be held in Siem Reap, Cambodia, from May 26-29. Instead of the in-person conference, the organizers changed the format to a series of 14 virtual events held from June to December, each lasting 90-120 minutes. Each event featured thematic online sessions with plenary speakers and top-ranking abstract presenters.
In November, APTN Human Rights & Advocacy Officer, Samreen, presented at the conference on integrating transgender health into HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights programming in Indonesia, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam.
Trans Resilience Report – Stories of Hope, Pain, and Survival from the Trans Movement During the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 has put everyone under strain, but the trans and gender diverse community has reacted with its signature resilience and solidarity and strong sense of community. In December, APTN published the Trans Resilience Report: Stories of Hope, Pain, and Survival from the Trans Movement During the COVID-19 Pandemic. The report presented data and consultations with 22 organisations across 14 countries, looking at the impact of the APTN COVID-19 Community Support Fund. It revealed some startling facts: Over 88% of people reported reduced income, job loss or forced unpaid leave, while 61% stated that the grant was the only support they had received at that time. One third of respondents reported being the main provider of the household, and 44% reported not having access to basic necessities including hygiene products, hormones, food, shelter and personal protective equipment. The report also looked at how APTN swiftly responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, integrating COVID-19 responses into our strategic framework, and featured first-hand accounts of how COVID-19 has impacted trans and gender diverse people across the region.
Transcending Toolkit: Cultivating Advocates for a Growing Trans Movement
In December, we released the Transcending Toolkit: this easy-to-use guide is for trans and gender diverse community organisations to help them learn about the experiences of their communities across the Asia and Pacific region, and equips them with tools to run their own workshops and meetings. The guide includes “Try it Out” sections with step-by-step instructions, as well as “Journal It” or “Draw It” sections to facilitate reflection upon personal experiences as a trans activist. The toolkit can also be used by non-trans organisations to learn about the experiences of the trans and gender diverse communities and colleagues.
Key Populations Research & Advocacy Study Reports
There are a range of negative experiences trans and gender diverse people encounter when trying to access healthcare in a cis-normative society. These negative experiences, both systemic and interpersonal, produce unique stressors that can lead directly to negative health outcomes including poor physical or mental health. They can also be a barrier to utilising healthcare when a previous experience of discrimination leads to future avoidance of accessing services. It is vital to understand the nature, extent and impact of stressors on trans and gender diverse people’s use of healthcare services. Only then, interventions can be implemented to mitigate stressors and improve healthcare access and utilization.
APTN, together with four country partners: GWL INA from Indonesia, the Blue Diamond Society (BDS) from Nepal, the SISTERS Foundation from Thailand, and the Vietnam Transgender Network (VNTG), supported by the Centre for Supporting Community Development Initiatives (SCDI), embarked on an ambitious research project, the Key Populations Research & Advocacy Study. The purpose of the study was to document the barriers and gaps in access to HIV and other health services for trans and gender diverse people in these four countries. The research was designed and implemented by trans and gender diverse researchers in each country. Consistent with our community principles of “Nothing about us without us,” this process has built the capacity of trans and gender diverse people to utilise research methodologies and data to collect information for evidence-based advocacy to promote quality,trans-responsive and competent healthcare services. This research aims to bridge the gaps in the availability of trans-specific data. We believe this is the first large-scale trans community-led research, providing essential information into our lived experiences of accessing healthcare services.
COMING IN EARLY 2021
Info Resource on Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) for Trans and Gender Diverse People
APTN compiled information and resources on sexual and reproductive health for trans and gender diverse people and communities across the region. What They Don’t Tell You in Sex Ed! A Resource for Trans & Gender Diverse Communities on Sexual and Reproductive Health, aims to answer frequently asked questions and address the unvoiced experiences and anxieties trans and gender diverse people have about their bodies, sexuality, pleasure and relationships, as well as their reproductive health needs. In this way, we aim to empower trans people with knowledge and awareness to fully exercise their bodily rights.
COMING IN EARLY 2021
Info Resources on Gender Affirming Hormone Therapy (GAHT) for Trans Masculine and Trans Feminine Individuals
There are a range of negative experiences trans and gender diverse people encounter when trying to access healthcare in a cis-normative society. These negative experiences, both systemic and interpersonal, produce unique stressors that can lead directly to negative health outcomes including poor physical or mental health. They can also be a barrier to utilising healthcare when a previous experience of discrimination leads to future avoidance of accessing services. It is vital to understand the nature, extent and impact of stressors on trans and gender diverse people’s use of healthcare services. Only then, interventions can be implemented to mitigate stressors and improve healthcare access and utilization.
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Read the First Half in Review Biannual Newsletter (Jan to Aug 2020) on our website