In May the New Zealand Human Rights Commission joined other national human rights institutions (NHRIs) at an Asia Pacific Forum (APF) meeting in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Participants from Indonesia, Australia, Malaysia, Jordan, Nepal, New Zealand, Palestine, Korea and Thailand talked about how they can better protect and promote the rights of trans, gay, lesbian and bisexual people.

Discrimination and violence against people because of their gender identity or sexual orientation is a serious problem in many countries across the Asia Pacific. It includes execution or extra-judicial killing, torture, rape, arbitrary detention, unfair trials and forced pregnancy and marriage.

The workshop discussed practical ways that NHRIs could use their functions and powers to make a difference. Examples included investigating complaints, reviewing laws and policies, holding national inquiries and public education.

The NZ Commission’s presentation used TV images and photos to show the dignity and mana of whakawāhine, fa’afafine, FtMs, MtFs, cross-dressers and other trans people involved in the Transgender Inquiry. The Commission was privileged to meet local trans people (waria) in Yogyakarta and Bali and gave them copies of the Inquiry report and DVDs of the Pacific Peoples Project’s 2007 fono.

The workshop concluded by strongly deploring “all forms of stereotyping, exclusion, stigmatisation, prejudice, intolerance, discrimination and violence” against transgender, gay, lesbian and bisexual people.

Information about the APF workshop, including its concluding statement can be found here.