An NHRI Guide on responding to COVID-19 impacts on LGBTI people • Activists in Thailand have shared that due to discrimination in both employment and education, LGBTQI+ people in the country have no savings to rely on during the pandemic.35 A survey in Bangladesh among third gender communities found that 86% of LGBT respondents had no savings, 82% had no income during the weeks before the survey, and 56% did not get financial support from the state or family.36 In Indonesia, trans communities predicted they would last a maximum of three months after losing their income.37 66% respondents of a survey with LGBTIQ people in Oceania, francophone Africa and French overseas territories, reported that they struggled financially two weeks into the pandemic.38 • Many LGBTI people lost their source of income in the Philippines when non-essential services were shut down in the country. Those working in the service industry or earning their living through pageants lost most or all of their income due to lockdowns and restrictions.39 Similar experiences were reported in Timor-Leste40, Singapore41, Malaysia42, and other countries. • In Sri Lanka, many lesbian, bisexual and trans (LBT) people work in the garment industry, and had to work extended hours despite curfews, which exposed them to infection.43 Trans sex workers were also similarly affected. • LGBTI people in Pacific Island nations reported fearing food shortages during the pandemic as their communities rely on shipping imports for basic food supplies.44 3. Lack of access to state support, services, or benefits Some States have provided support and benefits during the pandemic, either to the general population or to those most vulnerable. In countries where people are criminalised on the basis of their SOGIESC, LGBTI people have been unable or too afraid to apply for those benefits. Many LGBTI people have faced discrimination and harassment when trying to access state support. Trans people have been particularly affected. Very few countries in Asia Pacific enable trans people to amend their name and gender marker.45 The lack of legal gender recognition procedures have caused serious barriers during the pandemic. For instance, some were denied food supplies or aid when their ID documents did not match their appearance. Some have faced harassment at vaccination or testing sites. Rainbow families have been unable to benefit from family unification 9 35 Ibid. 36 Innovision, Webinar 1: Impact of COVID 19 on the Economy of Bangladesh, http://innovision-bd.com/covid-19-impact-studies/?fbclid=IwAR06k92BcnTFeJmX412ndeIiIl3mjOzOjOITbgLn9GmTF_W2dIPEI_mjv84#COVID-19-ThirdGender quoted in A/75/258, para. 25. 37 ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, The Impact of COVID-19 on LGBTIQ+ Organizations in Southeast Asia, pp. 13-14. 38 ALFO survey: LGBTI individuals in Oceania struggle with multitude of Covid19 related challenges, APCOM, https:// www.apcom.org/alfo-survey-lgbti-individuals-in-oceania-struggle-with-multitude-of-covid19-related-challenges/. 39 Dela Peña Kurt, Gay pride in a time of gloom: Barely surviving the pandemic, Inquirier.net, August 12, 2021, https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1472826/gay-pride-in-a-time-of-gloom-barely-surviving-the-pandemic&ust=1647087000000000&usg=AOvVaw1Pixo0vl2uDcrxm9j9S2bo&hl=en. 40 Shared with APF for the purpose of this report. 41 Outright Action International, Vulnerability Amplified: The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBTIQ People, p. 26. 42 ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, The Impact of COVID-19 on LGBTIQ+ Organizations in Southeast Asia, p. 14. 43 Outright Action International, Vulnerability Amplified: The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBTIQ People, p. 25. 44 Outright Action International, Vulnerability Amplified: The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on LGBTIQ People, p. 26. 45 UNDP & APTN, Legal Gender Recognition: A Multi-Country Legal and Policy Review in Asia, 2017, https://weareaptn. org/resource/legal-gender-recognition-a-multi-country-legal-and-policy-review-in-asia/.