Introduction APF’s course consisted of eight online modules and four live sessions. One of the four live sessions focused solely on the COVID-19 pandemic. NHRIs shared how the pandemic has impacted LGBTI communities in their countries and how they have responded to this impact. This resource reflects some of the discussions during the session, complemented by desk research on the pandemic’s impact and responses from a brief survey APF circulated in December 2021 to document good practice examples from its members. The aim of this publication is to share all of this knowledge more widely, so all of APF’s members can utilise it in their work. Terminology Words that describe such intrinsic parts of a person’s identity or characteristics, such as their SOGIESC status, carry a heavy weight and significance. This is particularly so for groups that have been stigmatised and whose existence has been denied. In such circumstances, terms validate who someone is and may help LGBTI people feel connected to others who share that identity or those characteristics. Terminology evolves over time. What remains constant is the importance of treating each person with dignity, in a way that protects the person from discrimination and violence. For more information about terminology and regional-specific examples, please refer to Chapter 1 of APF’s SOGIESC manual for NHRIs. • Sexual orientation refers to each person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional, and sexual attraction to, and intimate and sexual relations with, another person. • Gender identity is a person’s internal sense of being a man or a woman or a third or other alternative gender, or a combination of genders. • Gender expression refers to a person’s ways of communicating masculinity or femininity (or both or neither) externally through physical appearance (including clothing, hairstyles, and the use of cosmetics) and mannerisms, ways of speaking, and behavioural patterns when interacting with others. • Sex characteristics refers to the chromosomal, gonadal, and anatomical features of a person. Some are primary characteristics (for example, reproductive organs, genitalia, chromosomes, and hormones). Some are secondary characteristics (such as muscle mass, hair distribution, or breast development). 6