Building a Stronger Intersex Human Rights Movement in Asia

The 2^nd Asian Intersex Forum 2019

Press Release by Intersex Asia

Seoul, Republic of Korea

17^th August 2019

“I dream of a society where people know, respect, and protect intersex people.” – Esan, Nepal

“I hope we intersex people will have sustainable financial status.” – Kusum, Nepal

“My dream is starting a community-based organization for intersex people to support education, health, care, mental care, survive with the way.” – Vinu, India

“Ensuring a (safe) childhood for all intersex children.” – Gopi, India

“Intersex people can self-accept without fear of stigma and discrimination.” – Hiker, Taiwan

“Intersex persons can have a family of their own.” –  Jeff, Philippines

A variety of ambitious and beautiful dreams of accelerating inclusion and protection for intersex people – a stronger intersex human rights movement – have been articulated by 10 Asian intersex activists and individuals on 17^th August 2019 at the 2^nd Asian Intersex Forum in Seoul.

Discrimination and stigma based on sex characteristics not only violates intersex persons’ universal basic human rights, it also adversely impacts the long-term economic and health prospects of intersex individuals. For decades, these challenges facing intersex individuals and communities have been neglected deliberately or inadvertently by various relevant stakeholders, including legal experts, policymakers, medical professionals, etc.

To advance the agenda, a consortium of Asian leading intersex activists and their organizations, and allies (Intersex Asia, ILGA Asia, OII-Chinese, CFC, Intersex Philippines, Srishti Madurai), with the support of Intersex Human Rights Fund, was organizing a three-days forum to help intersex activists and communities to build a stronger intersex movement and regional network organization in Asia, thus to accelerate the human rights protection and social inclusion for intersex people.

As a new source of empowerment and support established collectively by the Asian intersex activists, Intersex Asia further confirmed its strategic plan and agenda supporting intersex human rights activism in the region of Asia. To support intersex activists and leaders realize intersex human rights protection and inclusion in their societies, Intersex Asia will operationalize awareness-raising, community and capacity building, advocacy projects. By 2020, the network organization will:

•  Provide technical and financial support to intersex activists and their organizations to organize national advocacy and campaign initiatives to hold their governments accountable for intersex human rights protection;

•  Support member organizations to fulfill the community needs on visibility and capacity building at the national level;

•  Increase the production of educational resources on Intersex people in Asia, and raise the awareness and visibility of intersex issues at the more national, regional, and international arena;

•  Build the capacity of Intersex Asia members in key areas, including leadership, advocacy, documentation, UN mechanisms, project management, self-care, and team-building.

During the forum, the intersex participants also recalled and affirmed the principles of the first Asian Intersex Statement, and re-emphasized the demands of eliminating discrimination against intersex people, promoting and protecting the human rights of intersex people in Asia, and ensuring the rights to life, bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self- determination of intersex individuals.

About the Forum

The 2^nd Asian Intersex forum is the regional platform for stock-taking and lesson-sharing on efforts to move the first Asian Intersex Statement from paper to practice. As the Asian region’s foremost gathering in this area, the forum provides a unique space for dialogues among a variety of intersex activists and individuals on trends, challenges and good practices in preventing and addressing intersex-related human rights issues in Asia. The first forum was held in 2018. It attracts more than 30 intersex activists, leaders, experts, practitioners and allies for three days of action- and solution-oriented dialogue and self-care journey.

This year, from 15^th to 17^th August, a total of 10 intersex activists and individuals from India, Indonesia, South Korea, Philippines, Nepal, Taiwan gathered together participating in the 2^nd Asian Intersex Forum took place in Seoul, Korea.

For more information, please contact:

Hiker Chiu – Co-chair of Intersex Asia (Chinese, English):  hiker@intersexasia.com

Esan Regmi – Co-chair of Intersex Asia (Nepali, English): esan@intersexasia.com, +977 9861336738