ASEAN SOGIE Caucus
Inclusive and diverse ASEAN
ASEAN SOGIE Caucus
Inclusive and diverse ASEAN
Inclusive and diverse ASEAN
Inclusive and diverse ASEAN
LGBTIQ people in the Southeast Asian region continue to face so many challenges and difficulties. Consensual same-sex acts are still criminalised in some countries. In addition, there is a strong drive to institutionalise conversion therapy in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia. All of these are reinforced by the notion that being LGBTIQ is not compatible with ASEAN values and that our identities — our very existence even — is a mere ideology from the West. This kind of environment can easily make us feel despair and anger.
We are a regional organization of human rights defenders from various countries in Southeast Asia. We advocate for the promotion, protection and fulfilment for the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer people, and gender-diverse persons in Southeast Asia. The organization supports the capacities of local advocates to engage with domestic, regional and international human rights mechanisms.
The new lessons are aimed at ending discrimination against, and bullying of, LGBTQ people in the country.
Reuters reports that starting next year, Cambodian students will begin learning about sexual orientation and gender identity from seventh grade. Yung Kunthearith, deputy director of the Department of Health Studies under the Ministry of Education, told the news source that these topics will be part of overall sex education.
The video is part of a bigger campaign called “We are #ASEANtoo!” which was launched a week before the 23rd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit on October 9 to 10, in Brunei. The Declarations on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Elimination of Violence Against Children (DEVAW and DEVAC respectively) were set to be adopted at the said summit.
Inclusive and diverse ASEAN
Legally Registered in the Philippines as Southeast Asia Sexual Orientation,
Gender Identity and Expression Caucus (ASC), Inc. The organization is in
Special Consultative Status with the UN ECOSOC since 2021.
Quezon City, Philippines
Email: communications@aseansogiecaucus.org
ASEAN SOGIE Caucus © 2025
