ASIA PACIFIC FORUM OF NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS INSTITUTIONS TORTURE PREVENTION AMBASSADORS The Torture Prevention Ambassadors scheme is an innovative program that supports participating APF members to undertake a large-scale torture prevention project within their respective countries and collectively help advance a torture prevention agenda in the Asia Pacific region. The program is coordinated by the APF in partnership with the Association for the Prevention of Torture, as part of a comprehensive suite of activities on preventing torture for NHRIs in the Asia Pacific region, to be held over three years with funding from the European Union. In November 2014, the nine Torture Prevention Ambassadors, representing seven APF members, met in Sydney to discuss and further develop their projects. The APT established a virtual networking platform to encourage the Torture Prevention Ambassadors to continue their networking between the face-to-face meetings. The second meeting of the group will be held in Mongolia in August 2015. Jacqueline De Guia from the Philippines Commission on Human Rights undertakes a consultation with law enforcement officials as part of her role as a Torture Prevention Ambassador. Credit: Philippines Commission on Human Rights 18 APF-UNDP REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON SEXUAL ORIENTATION AND GENDER IDENTITY In February 2015, the APF and UNDP ran a workshop on the Role of National Human Rights Institutions in Promoting and Protecting the Rights, including Health, of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) People in Asia and the Pacific. Held in Bangkok, the two-day workshop was attended by 31 participants, including 19 representatives from 16 APF members and 14 from civil society groups and other organisations. The workshop was held to review the contribution of NHRIs in the Asia Pacific to the promotion and protection of the human rights of LGBTI people; to agree on priorities for strengthened engagement by NHRIs on LGBTI human rights and health issues between 2015 and 2017; to identify needs for capacity building, training, regional exchanges of experiences and other support that may be included in forthcoming regional development programming; and to make recommendations to UN bodies and other development partners accordingly. The outcome document – the “Program of Action and Support” – sets out a range of clearly defined goals and activities for NHRIs in relation to capacity building, research, monitoring, advocacy and education, promotion and dialogue. It also includes recommendations for the APF and UNDP. The value of the document comes from the high level of participation provided by the delegates, the frankness of their discussions and the inclusion of non-NHRI representatives in the workshop.