LGBTI activists from Asia and the Pacific welcome the decision of the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) on the protection of the human rights of LGBTI people around the world, while reaffirming the legitimate mandates of the Human Rights Council. On 21 November, the UNGA rejected a move that aims to weaken the legitimately established Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (IESOGI). Resolution A/C.3/71/L.46 (2016) proposed to postpone the IESOGI mandate pending UN investigation into the lawfulness of the Expert. This would have effectively caused serious repercussions on the IESOGI to perform his role in protecting the rights of LGBTI persons and halted all efforts of the Expert indefinitely.

In a Joint Statement issued on 7 November 2016, the undersigned, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus (ASC), ILGA ASIA, the Asia Pacific Transgender Network (APTN), the Pacific Sexual Diversity Network (PSDN), and APCOM, voiced opposition to this resolution and encouraged our partners to contact their respective UN Missions - and with this help, the resolution was defeated. Success! The IESOGIE mandate will move forward, thanks in part to this work.

We encourage our partners to continue to be vocal in contacting their country UN Missions - our voices do count!

Signed by:

Abhina Aher, Chair Person, Regional Steering Committee, APTN

Hiker Chiu, Co-Chair, ILGA ASIA

Joey Joleen Mataele, President, Pacific Sexual Diversity Network

Midnight Poonkasetwattana, Executive Director, APCOM

Ryan Silverio, Regional Coordinator, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus (ASC)