Our Approach

APTN is a trans-led organisation that supports and advocates for the rights for trans and gender diverse people in Asia and the Pacific. We work in five key strategic areas:

Advocating

Advancing Justice, Rights and Access

APTN is a leader in advocating for the rights of trans and gender diverse people throughout Asia and the Pacific. We amplify the voice of the transgender community to call for an end to discrimination, and increased rights and protections for trans and gender diverse people. We work closely with academic, government officials, health care providers and other key stakeholders. Our reports and publications have guided evidence-based programming, social policy reform and human rights advances for trans people in many countries.

Leadership development

Supporting the Leadership Development of Trans People and Organisations

APTN provides a vital platform for trans and gender diverse people to engage in community-to-community learning and build organisational capacity. We recognise the diversity in politics, and cultures throughout this region and we work closely with community partners to build the capacity of individuals and organisations. We provide technical guidance to develop proposals and programmes, and support them in developing programmes unique to their needs and country context.

Public campaigning

Public campaigning is an important part of APTN’s work. Through engagement with traditional, online, and social media, we can raise public awareness of the issues affecting our community. We also strengthen the ability of trans and gender diverse communities to conduct their own public campaigns through training and fellowships programmes. This is a powerful way to reach our strategic objectives of movement building, leadership development and advocacy.

Research

Our research sheds light on the diversity and lived reality of the trans and gender diverse community in Asia and the Pacific, including the discrimination and human rights violations they face. We bring together the lived experiences of trans and gender diverse people, and world-class academic expertise to produce unique, impactful, trans-led research. This in turn provides the evidence needed for stakeholders to make better decisions.


Want to support the transgender community in Asia Pacific?

Our work is possible thanks to generous support from donor organizations and individual donors and volunteers.