Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions
3.2. STRATEGIC PLANNING
All NHRIs do strategic planning when they look at their internal capacities, assess the external human
rights situation in their country, develop strategies to address that situation and identify priority areas to
work on. This strategic planning process is an important time to identify where SOGISC work could be
mainstreamed within your NHRI. It requires having sufficient information and data about the experiences
of LGB, T and I people.
LGBTI people exist within all population groups and their experiences are shaped by intersecting
identities, for example as a lesbian with a disability, an indigenous intersex person, or a transgender child
from a religious minority.
Some questions that an NHRI might want to ask include:
• What are the most important issues facing LGB, T and/or I people in our country?
• If we are unsure, how do we find out?
• How do we record complaints and enquiries from LGB, T or I people and/or about SO, GI or SC
issues?
• What does our current work and data (e.g. complaints, research, advocacy, or education) tell us
about the issues we should treat as priorities?
• How can we include a focus on SOGISC issues under our various functions or practice groups (for
example, through the work of our complaints team, or as part of our social media strategy)?
• What does external data and research tell us, including consultation with NGOs working on
SOGISC issues?
• Are there specific issues for LGB, T or I people within other areas of work that our NHRI is
prioritising? For example, monitoring places of detention, bullying in schools, or forced sterilisation?
• Are there specific issues for LGB, T or I people in our reporting on population groups including
women, children, indigenous people, older persons, or people with disabilities?
EXAMPLE
In its October 2012 submission to the UN Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review, the
National Human Rights Commission of Bangladesh (JAMAKON) identified hijras and Dalits as
excluded minorities that face poverty, marginalisation and discrimination. JAMAKON’s Strategic Plan
for 2016–2020 includes a focus on marginalised groups, including hijras and other gender and sexual
minorities.
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