BLIA- Being LGBT in Asia (UNDP) - Phase 2 - 2014-2019

Phase 1 (2012-2013) of the BLIA project, focused on developing an evidence base of the lived experience of LGBTI people through research and engagement of civil society groups throughout the region. This engagement was facilitated through convening eight national LGBTI dialogues, publishing national reports and producing 12 videos highlighting community stories from the region. Informed by this process, BLIA Phase 2 (2014-2018), through a combination of regional and country specific programming, has strengthened the capacity of civil society groups, government departments and human rights bodies to address priority issues on SOGIE, built broad coalitions with key stakeholders, including the private sector,media and academic institutions, and strengthened the evidence base on SOGIE and intersex issues.  BLIAP Phase 3, with the inclusion of Pacific in the geographical focus (2019-2023), is currently under implementation and have been supported by Sida through indirect earmarked support under the USAID Global partnership intervention (contribution no. 54050228) for implementation year 2019 and direct support from the Embassy (contribution no. 13787) for implementation year 2020. The purpose of this statement is to assess the results from and close Sida's contribution to UNDP for implementation of Phase II, during years 2014-2018. The results generated during this period have been captured by the implementation partner through annual reports and in 2018 there was an external review performed on the project which validated many of the results reported by the partner.  For more annual results, please see the separate statements on the narrative reports each year. Below a few examples are highlighted:  - A significant volume of publications, videos, and other type of data has been generated by BLIA directly or with support from BLIA. The range of topics covered includes health, education, employment, access to justice, and, the media. Each of these publications is the result of related consultationsand other research. E.g. The "Legal Gender Recognition: A Multi-Country Legal and Policy Review in Asia". The study is a comprehensive review of laws, regulations and policies relating to legal gender recognition in nine countries in Asia - China, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Another example is the multi-country study on employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity and sex characteristics in China, the Philippines and Thailand. This is the first systematic study to examine the extent and forms of access to employment and workplace discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression and sex characteristics in China, the Philippines and Thailand.  - BLIA has had both direct, and contributory roles, in building the capacity of three regional civil society networks, including APTN, ASC, and B-Change. Today, APTN and ASC play significant roles in advocacy, research, and programming throughout Asia and the Pacific through numerous initiatives that are building the capacity of both civil society and government departments, including NHRIs. B-Change focuses on the use of technology to further the social, economic and cultural inclusion of LGBTI persons using web-apps and web and mobile-based platforms. A success story, which also relates synergy between donors, is APTN’s successful application for funding from a donor that has more stringent requirements for organizational capacity. That donor credits the work of BLIA for preparing the CSO for the responsibility of the grant it will receive. A success story for ASC has been its involvement with civil society partners seeking to engage with UN human rights monitoring mechanisms. As part of its “Strengthening South-South Collaboration for a Human Rights-based LGBTIQ Activism in Southeast Asia” initiative, funded by BLIA, ASC sponsored a Regional Workshop on Engaging with UN Special Procedures in the Philippines in May 2017 to build the capacity of LGBT activists to use the Special Procedures and to assist them in drafting evidence-based communications to the Special Procedures on various human rights issues. - A total of eleven laws and policies in seven countries have been influenced by BLIA - either directly or indirectly through its partnership with organizations that do so. E.g. Thailand's Gender Equality Act (2015) for which BLIA supported the launch with Ministry of Social Development and HUman Security to support implementation and monitoring, including trainings on SOGIE for MSHDS officials. BLIA has provided input during the public consultation process of the Thai Civil Partnership Act and for the Thai Gender Recognition Law. For the latter law, BLIA also facilitated wider community consultation. In the Philippines, the project supported sub- national level consultative processes in collaboration with local partners, including the National Commission on Human Rights to the Anti-discrimination bill, to include clearer articulation of SOGIE in the bill. In China, the project held national consultation on Trans HIV/Health with health officials, provided Chinese translation of the Blueprint for the Provision of Comprehensive Care for Trans People and Trans Communities in Asia and the Pacific. In Viet Nam, the project has provided technical assistance on good practice in the drafting of the Gender legal recognition laws.  - BLIA has both worked with NHRIs to strengthen their capacity and willingness to protect and promote human rights for LGBTI people. In partnership with the Asia Pacific Forum of National Rights Institutions (APF), BLIAP has supported capacity development of 17 NHRIs through development of a handbook onSOGIESC and trainings which were rolled out in the three sub-regions in 2017. Following the training programme, BLIAP supported joint action plans with NHRIs and civil society in five countries (Bangladesh, Samoa, Fiji, Philippines and Timor-Leste) to further engagement on priority areas identified in the sub-regional workshops, including legal gender recognition, right to health, and addressing bullying of LGBTI children in schools. - When it comes to capacity building component in the project, BLIA has built the capacity of government agencies, policymakers, civil society and other organizations to influence laws and policies. a total of 5 766 human rights defenders have been trained and supported, 37 advocacy frameworks developed by civil society groups, 3 sub- regional trainings conducted to strengthen SOGIE capacity of NHRIs in South Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, and 165 government departments were engaged with, including Ministries of Health, Justice, Social Development and Education, Embassies and local government agencies. 

Being LGBTI in Asia Phase 2, is a regional partnership between UNDP, the Swedish Embassy in Bangkok and USAID. The project focus on four countries: China, Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand. The aim of the project is to promote LGBTI inclusive development in Asia. The project has three objectives: Through community building and empowerment, support LGBTI individuals to know their rights, and to have access to justice to report on human rights violations and end impunity. Through community mobilization and advocacy (law makers, local government, judiciary and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRIs) to ensure the development and enforcement of protective laws and policies (anti-violence/anti-discrimination) Through community mobilization and engagement with key stakeholders (religious organizations, private sector, law enforcement authorities, educational institutions to address stigma and discrimination and end harmful practices that fuel human rights violations against LGBTI people in public and private settings, and to ensure that LGBTI people have equal access to public services. These are to be achieved by contributing to the following outcomes: 1) Increased capacity of LGBTI organizations to effectively mobilize, advocate and contribute in policy dialogues and community empowerment activities; 2) Improved capacity and action of governments, the judiciary, parliaments and National Human Rights Institutions (NHRI) to develop SOGIE-related protective laws and policies; 3) Reduced stigma and discrimination and harmful practices against LGBTI people.