HANOI, October 14, 2015 -- Over the past decade, some 25 countries and territories across Asia and the Pacific have introduced a range of protective laws and ordinances, passed supportive court decisions and pioneered constitutional reform processes which promoted the inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people.

Highlighting this momentum is one of the key findings from the forthcoming report, Leave no one behind: Advancing social, economic, cultural and political inclusion of LGBTI people in Asia and the Pacific.  Today, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) launched a summary report sharing the key findings and recommendations.

The summary report illustrates the range of measures taken in Asia and the Pacific to advance social, economic, cultural and political inclusion of LGBTI people. The report also highlights developments in the key areas of violence protection, education, health, employment, family affairs, legal gender recognition and political participation, as well as noting existing obstacles to further progress. 

“This regional report comes at a pivotal time in UN history with the recent adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals. The SDGs offer a new paradigm in international development, building upon the Millennium Development Goals, they seek to tackle the underlying causes of inequality, marginalization and poverty,” said Dr. Pratibha Mehta, the UN Resident Coordinator for Viet Nam. “Many countries have already begun to demonstrate leadership on the protection and inclusion of LGBTI people in the region.”

Despite the progress in the region, the report emphasizes that LGBTI people continue to represent some of the most marginalized populations in the region. Consensual homosexual sexual conduct between adult males continues to be criminalized in at least 19 countries in Asia and the Pacific. This punitive approach to same sex behaviour legitimizes prejudice, contributes to mental health problems, increases vulnerability to HIV, and exposes people to hate crimes, police abuse, torture and family violence, the report says.

“The Leave no one behind report outlines the many opportunities for collaboration but also the obstacles that lie in the path towards true equality and respect for the human rights of LGBTI people in the region,” said Ted Osius, U.S. Ambassador to Viet Nam. “It provides us with a clear roadmap on how to overcome these obstacles and is therefore an incredibly valuable tool for governments, civil society and others who seek action. It will help all of us engage to protect the rights of all LGBTI people.”

The summary report provides 39 recommendations for governments and development partners on LGBTI inclusion and the post-2015 SDGs. These recommendations support the argument that the inclusion of LGBTI people in broader development goals is essential if countries are to achieve the SDGs.

“We believe strongly that the success of all development efforts lies in their inclusivity. We will continue to partner with governments, LGBTI civil society and the UN to ensure inclusive and sustainable development for all,” said Camilla Mellander, Swedish Ambassador to Viet Nam. “Together we can ensure that the human rights of all are respected regardless of gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, intersex status or any other attribute.”

This report was developed under the ‘Being LGBTI in Asia’ programme. This regional initiative is supported by UNDP, the Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok and USAID, and works closely with LGBTI civil society advocacy groups, governments, and human rights bodies to strengthen capacity and promote human rights and inclusion of LGBTI people in development efforts.