Health and Well-being

Access to effective, affordable health care delivered in an environment of trust and respect is a basic human right. However, trans and gender diverse people are often denied such care because they are excluded from relevant policies and programmes. There is also widespread stigma and discrimination in health care settings, and lack of awareness and sensitisation among health care providers.

Trans and gender diverse people also face specific health issues, and need access to trans competent health care. Currently across Asia and the Pacific, required hormones are accessed by trans and gender diverse people almost entirely outside the formal healthcare system, and treatment is typically neither regulated nor monitored. In some countries, hormone medications needed by trans feminine women and trans masculine men may be unaffordable, or simply unavailable.

Gender affirming surgery is typically not funded under national insurance programmes in the region, and in some countries, genital reconstruction surgery is illegal. Criteria for gender affirming surgeries are often discriminatory, excluding many trans and gender diverse people.

APTN actively advocates for trans and gender diverse identities to not be considered mental health conditions. Through our strategic approaches, we work for the right of trans and gender diverse people to trans competent health care, and affordable, accessible medical treatment delivered with dignity and respect.