Youth calls for progressive thinking, inclusiveness
and equality
UNDP and
USAID Being LGBT in Asia convened a forum in Mindanao to advance understanding
of the social and legal environment faced by the LGBT persons and civil society
in the Philippines
Cagayan de Oro City, 24 August 2014.
Recognizing the importance of
the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) people, the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID) unveiled the forum on “Diversity and Human
Rights: A Forum on the legal and social environments of lesbian, gay, bisexual,
and transgender (LGBT) persons and civil society in the Philippines” in Cagayan
de Oro City.
Almost 130 participants,
mostly youth, joined the forum coming from different schools and universities
in Cagayan de Oro City and several representatives from the LGBT civil society
from nearby cities were also present. The forum highlighted the findings and
recommendations from ‘Being LGBT in Asia: The Philippine Country Report’ which provided an
overview of LGBT human rights situation in the Philippines including the
effects of laws, policies, culture, and social attitudes, and religion, based
on research, consultation and community dialogue with LGBT community held last
June 2013. Following the report presentation was the launching of short series
of documentary films from B-Change Foundation’s “Stories of Being Me”. These
documentary films portray the personal lives and to raise awareness on
well-being of young LGBT people across the Asia-Pacific. UNDP Philippines LGBT
Human Rights Officer, Christopher Reyes gave the presentations during the
forum.
While a number of local
governments in the Philippines, including Angeles, Cebu, Bacolod, and Davao are
making headway in promoting the rights of LGBT people, much remains to be done
in Cagayan de Oro City in ensuring social and political inclusion of the LGBT
people. This is not to say that nothing has been done, well in fact, Tingug
CDO, a nonprofit LGBT-led organization, in consultation with LGBT communities
have been strongly lobbying policy development to enact an anti-discrimination
legislative city ordinance. Reynante Namocatcat, President of Tingug CDO,
shared his appreciation of the forum, “we are seeking this kind of avenue to
let our voices be heard by the youth and for them to recognize their rights and
obligations.” Alongside Tingug CDO, the Hulagway CDO is doing educational
campaigns to promote the human rights of People Living with HIV (PLHIV) which
was represented by Benjie S. Manuel.
Maurice Dewulf, UNDP
Philippines Country Director said, “The United Nations promotes and upholds the
rights of every human being. Without exception, human rights apply to everyone,
including LGBT people. The forum gave us momentum to strengthen our work at the
grassroots level towards the welfare of the youth, and to help civil society
champion their quest for inclusiveness and equality and how it cab be better
understood and promoted.”
For the participants and partners
of the forum, this convergence to bring into open spaces the human rights of
Filipino LGBT, expressed strongly that the output should be a more deliberate
and coordinated push to institutionalize
an anti-discrimination and gender development ordinance for the city. Ernesto
B. Neri, Chair of the Oro Youth Development Council (OYDC) of Cagayan de Oro
City Local Government, made a commitment “(that) as long as OYDC is present, we
shall continue to push for these safe spaces for the youth in cultivating
progressive thinking and support for policies to ensure inclusivity and
equality for all.
U.S. Embassy Manila’s USAID
Mission Director Gloria D. Steele said, “The rights of LGBT people must be
respected. This forum on human rights of LGBT in Cagayan de Oro city is the
first opportunity to open safe spaces for dialogue that will serve as a guide
for development partners and governments at all levels to improve their
engagement in addressing the needs of LGBT communities more effectively.”
The forum was conducted in
partnership with Oro Youth Development Council (OYDC) of Cagayan de Oro City
Local Government, Hulagway CDO and Tingug CDO. ‘Being LGBT in Asia’, is a ground breaking joint initiative of the
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID). It is a being
implemented in Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines,
Thailand and Viet Nam. Being LGBT in Asia is working with LGBT communities,
universities and human rights organizations to gain insights into the
challenges and successes of LGBT communities in Asia.
The Being LGBT in Asia Philippine Country Report is
available at UNDP (http://www.undp.org) and the short documentary films can be
viewed at B-Change Foundation (http://www.b-change.org).
For more information,
contact:
Christopher M. Reyes, Human Rights Officer,
UNDP Philippines
Kiel Enrique, Development Outreach and
Communications Specialist, USAID/Philippines
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