Asia Pacific Forum of National Human Rights Institutions EXAMPLES The Commission on Human Rights of the Philippines has developed close working relationships with LGB and T organisations at the national and local levels since the early 2000s when it was challenged to monitor hate crimes against LGBT people. It investigated and monitored the high-profile murder of a transgender woman, Jennifer Laude, in 2014. Under its legal assistance and protection mandate, the Commission has advocated for local anti-discrimination ordinances and for the passage of a Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination law. It recently co-founded a ‘Stop the discrimination’ coalition with CSO partners. Source: Speech by Commissioner Karen Gomez Dumpit to the APF/UNDP Conference on the Yogyakarta Principles, April 2017, Bangkok. At: http://news.abs-cbn.com/news/03/03/17/house-rights-panel-to-consolidate-8-anti-discrimination-bills. The Indonesian National Commission on Human Rights (Komnas HAM) was one of the bodies that successfully advocated for Alter Hofan, an intersex person who was charged with document fraud after amending his identity documents to male, without going through a legal process. He was imprisoned but then acquitted because of his intersex status. In 2013, the UN Special Rapporteur on Myanmar recommended action by both the government and NHRI after 12 transgender women and gay men in Mandalay were verbally, sexually and physically assaulted by police officers who arrested them on allegations of creating a public nuisance. The Myanmar National Human Rights Commission referred the case directly to the chief of police but police did not release any information about investigation of these complaints. Source: https://www.hrw.org/news/2015/09/02/letter-mandalay-chief-minister-u-ye-myint. POSSIBLE ACTIONS The APF-UNDP Programme of Action and Support identifies recommendations related to an NHRI’s advocacy work, including through partnership with SOGI communities,43 engagement with international, regional and sub-regional mechanisms44 or sub-regional networks45, or by changing attitudes or behaviours.46 These are outlined below. 32. Include specific strategies for advocacy for the human rights of LGB, T and I people in the NHRI’s strategic and activity plans. 33. Include in all NHRI projects and activities dealing with the human rights of LGBTI people an advocacy strategy to promote acceptance and implementation of recommendations for change. 34. Engage LGB, T and I organisations, other civil society organisations and allies in advocacy of the NHRI’s reports and recommendations relevant to the human rights of LGBTI people. 35. Advocate for specific law reform initiatives to provide better promotion and protection of the human rights of LGBTI people, giving priority to laws: • to remove criminal penalties associated with SOGISC • to prevent forced or involuntary surgical and other medical procedures on intersex or LGB or T people, including procedures purporting to impose a specific sex or to change a person’s SO or GI • to grant legal gender recognition to the diverse identities and statuses of transgender and intersex people according to their wishes • to protect LGBT people from violence and mistreatment and • to prohibit discrimination based on SOGISC. 36. Advocate with specific government ministries, departments and agencies for implementation of policies and programs for the better promotion and protection of the human rights of LGBTI people. 20