Part of our Everyday Work NHRI Guidelines for Mainstreaming SOGISC Work 4.2. EDUCATION AND AWARENESS RAISING All three dimensions of human rights education26 are very relevant for NHRIs’ work on SOGISC issues: • Knowledge: providing information about human rights • Values, beliefs and attitudes: promoting a human rights culture through developing values and attitudes which uphold human rights • Action: education which enables the individual to defend human rights and prevent human rights abuses. APF and many NHRIs have prioritised dialogue with religious and community leaders as a crucial step to break down stereotypes, raise awareness of the impact of human rights violations, and build acceptance of all people’s human rights. EXAMPLES Since 2010, the Human Rights Commission of Malaysia (SUHAKAM) has adopted a step-by-step approach to addressing human rights issues related to SOGISC. This has included engaging separately with Islamic groups, with Christian and Hindu organisations, and with LGBTI individuals and groups. In 2016, the Ombudsman of Samoa received complaints that media reporting of a young fa’afafine’s death were unethical and insensitive, including because she was misgendered as male. The Office made a public statement explaining that, while it does not have jurisdiction to regulate the media, the article was inconsistent with Fa’a Samoa [Samoan way], particularly feavaa’i [mutual respect], and also breached the fundamental human right to dignity. The statement stressed the importance of using inclusive terminology and recommended establishing both a media code of practice and a Media Council to receive complaints about unethical journalism. Soon after the Office statement, the Media Council was appointed. Source: www.samoaobserver.ws/en/27_06_2016/local/7922/Ombudsman-Maiava-Iulai-Toma-responds.htm. In June 2015, the Chairperson of the Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM), Hafid Abbas, called for an end to discrimination and stigma against the LGBT community and urged the Government to issue more supportive regulations. In February 2016, Commissioner Natalius Pigai said “We have to build an inclusive nation that respects the plurality of its citizens, including minority groups”. Komnas HAM urged the government to introduce regulations offering protection from intimidation and bullying, and to guarantee access to education and work opportunities. Earlier in the week, Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs Minister Luhut Pandjaitan asserted that the state must guarantee the rights of the LGBT community just as it would those of any Indonesian citizen. Source: www.asiapacificforum.net/news/komnas-ham-calls-protection-lgbt-rights/. In October 2016, the Fiji Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Commission participated in a workshop with the Fiji Police Force on digital recording of evidence during caution interviews and providing every suspect with legal aid assistance within the first hour of arrest. LGBTI people were involved in this first ever workshop, recognising they are one of the groups that face barriers to accessing justice. Sources: http://odpp.com.fj/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/ODPP-Press-Release-12-of-2016-Police-workshop-on-Digital-Recording. pdf and Fiji NHRI participants on the APF/UNDP SOGISC course. In 2016, the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand and CSOs jointly held a workshop with the media on avoiding hate speech and raising awareness about the human dignity of LGBTI people. 15