Media Statement by Intersex Asia

Bangkok, Thailand
11 February 2018

Between the 8th and 11th February 2018, the First Asian Intersex Forum, supported by the Intersex Human Rights Fund, took place in Bangkok, Thailand. During the Forum, participants founded Intersex Asia – the first regional network of Asian human-rights-based intersex organisations and intersex activists working for the rights of intersex people, communities and movements.

The Forum brought together 14 intersex people representing intersex organisations and communities from Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.

Intersex Asia aims to work towards the promotion and protection of human rights of intersex people in Asia, to be a representative voice for Asian intersex people and communities, and to ensure that the rights to life, bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination of intersex people are promoted and protected everywhere.

This moment is a linchpin for the Asia Intersex Movement as it marks a historical moment for the visibility and recognition of intersex human rights in Asia.

Throughout Asia, lack of awareness about intersex issues from medical professionals leads to unnecessary and inhumane medical procedures, which include ‘normalising’ surgeries and treatments on intersex infants, adolescents and adults.

Because intersex people are born with sex characteristics (including genitals, gonads, hormones and chromosome patterns) that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies, intersex children and adults are often stigmatised and subjected to multiple human rights violations, including violations of their rights to health and physical integrity, to be free from torture and ill-treatment, and to equality and non-discrimination.

As intersex people in Asia, we live in a society that perpetuates discrimination, violence and killings of intersex people by a number of cultural, religious, traditional and medical beliefs and practices. Therefore, we must be supported to be the drivers of social, political and legislative changes that concern us.

Intersex Asia is an autonomous network and consists of intersex-led organisations and intersex individuals from Asian countries that work to educate about intersex issues, and raise awareness about the human rights violations and discrimination faced by intersex communities.

The Asia Intersex Forum and Intersex Asia also recall and affirm the principles of the Public Statement by the Third International Intersex Forum (known as the Malta Declaration), the Intersex Statement of the Intersex Pre-Conference at ILGA-Asia 2017, and extend the demands aimed at ending discrimination against intersex people, promoting and protecting the human rights of intersex people in Asia, and to ensure the rights to life, bodily integrity, physical autonomy and self-determination. (See Public Statement).

For more information, please contact:

Hiker Chiu – Taiwan (Chinese, English): hiker@oii.tw
Gopi Shankar Madurai – India (English,Tamil, Malayalam, Hindhi): br.gopishankar@gmail.com, +918610539702, +919092282369, @gopishankarmdu
Nada Chaiyajit – Thailand (Thai, English): nada.chaiyajit@gmail.com
Small Luk – Hong Kong, China (Chinese, Cantonese, English): ivysmall@ymail.com, +85251996331 (whatsapp)
Esan Regmi – Nepal (Nepali, English): esanregmi@gmail.com, +977 9861336738