Introduction for users THREE FOUNDATIONS This manual is based on three facts: 1. National human rights institutions (NHRIs) work to promote and protect the human rights of everyone, but especially the human rights of those who experience violations or are most at risk of violations. 2. Persons who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex (LGBTI) experience human rights violations or are at risk of violations because of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression (SOGIE) or sex characteristics. 3. NHRIs should be particularly concerned to promote and protect the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people. This manual focuses on the second and third points: the human rights experiences of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or intersex people and the work of NHRIs to promote and protect their human rights.1 It will not deal in detail with the role of NHRIs. The Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions (APF) has already produced a manual that discusses the nature, roles, functions, powers and activities of NHRIs.2 This manual is a response to the recommendation to NHRIs in the Principles on the Application of International Human Rights Law in relation to Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (the Yogyakarta Principles) that: … [n]ational human rights institutions promote respect for these Principles by State and non-State actors, and integrate into their work the promotion and protection of the human rights of persons of diverse sexual orientations or gender identities.3 It responds as well to the recommendation of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2015 that: … national human rights institutions address violence and discrimination against LGBT and intersex persons in the context of their respective mandates to promote and monitor effective implementation of international human rights standards at the national level.4 It is also the implementation of a commitment made by the APF under the 2015 APF-UNDP Programme of Action and Support to: Engage with regional and sub-regional SOGI CSOs to seek their contributions to (i) an APF manual on the role of NHRIs in promoting and protecting the rights of LGBTI and (ii) further develop a pilot blended learning program (comprising of online and face-to-face adult learning) for its members on the role of NHRIs in promoting and protecting the rights of people of diverse SOGI. This will be undertaken in the next APF strategic cycle of 2015–2020.5 1 Terms used in this manual are defined in the glossary and discussed in further detail in Chapter 1. 2 APF, Manual on National Human Rights Institutions, 2015; at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/manual-on-nhris/. 3 Yogyakarta Principles, Additional Recommendation L. 4 High Commissioner for Human Rights, Discrimination and violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, 4 May 2015, A/HRC/29/23, para. 80; at www.un.org/en/ga/search/view_doc.asp?symbol=A/HRC/29/23&referer=/ english/&Lang=E. 5 APF and UNDP, Programme of Action and Support: The role of national human rights institutions in promoting and protecting human rights in relation to sexual orientations and gender identity including health rights in the Asia and the Pacific 2015, Action 33; at www.asiapacificforum.net/resources/programme-action-and-support-nhri-sogi-2015/. Introduction for users | 1