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In 2018, a group of Asian intersex activists initiated the Asian Intersex Forum project with the goals to enhance individual and organizational capacity, identify specific regional needs and priorities, address human rights violations against intersex persons and develop strategies at the regional level.
Recognizing the unbalanced representatives of intersex people from the regions of Asia, intersex activists identified the need to create spaces within the region. With the goals to enhance individual and organizational capacity, identify specific regional needs and priorities, address human rights violations against intersex persons and develop strategies at the regional level, in 2018, a group of Asian intersex activists initiated the Asian Intersex Forum project.
The Asian Intersex forum is the regional platform for stock-taking and lesson-sharing on efforts to advance human rights protection for intersex people in Asia. As the Asian region’s foremost gathering in this area, the forum provides a unique space for dialogues among a variety of intersex activists and individuals on trends, challenges and good practices in preventing and addressing intersex-related human rights issues in Asia. The first forum was held in 2018. It attracts more than 30 intersex activists, leaders, experts, practitioners and allies for three days of action- and solution-oriented dialogue and self-care journey. Following the success of the 1st Forum, the 2nd Forum was held in 2019 in South Korea, the 3rd Forum in 2022 in Bangkok. And with the supported of Intersex Human Rights Fund, ILGA Asia, Asian Women’s Fund, the latest Forum was held in Kathmandu, Nepal in 2025 with the highest number of intersex participants in history.
In February 2018, the first Asian Intersex Forum took place in Bangkok, Thailand. A total of 12 intersex people representing intersex organizations and communities from Hong Kong (China), India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam participated in the forum.
During the forum, the participants established Intersex Asia – the first regional network of Asian intersex-led organizations and intersex activists working towards the promotion of human rights for intersex people in Asia.
Apart from that, a Public Statement – the First Asian Intersex Statement – has been articulated by the participating intersex activists that extend and affirm their demands to end discrimination against intersex people in Asia, and ensure the right of bodily integrity, physical autonomy, and self-determination.
The 2nd Asian Intersex Forum took place in Seoul, Korea in August 2019. The forum brought together 10 Asian intersex activists and individuals to future the discussion of building a stronger intersex human rights movement in the region of Asia.
During the forum, the participants recalled and re-affirmed the first Asian Intersex Statement delivered in 2018, and further contributed to the adoption of a draft action plan 2019-2020 for Intersex Asia.
After three years’ Covid-19 pandemic, Intersex Asia organized the third Asian Intersex Forum in person on October 25-26, 2022 in Bangkok, Thailand. It was the first time that IA hosted the Asian Intersex Forum independently. The forum invited twenty-two intersex participants from nine Asian countries together to review the first Asian Intersex Statement created in 2018, aiming to increase intersex voices from more Asian countries to reflect their need for human right protection and remarkably celebrate the “Intersex Awareness Day” and “Asian Intersex Coming Out Day” together. The highlight of the third forum is that the number of participants is the most ever and there are seventeen new faces joining the forum which really imports new blood and energy to the intersex movement in Asia. The forum also invited partner organizations, activists, leaders, and experts from all over Asia. Since its inception, the forum has aimed to create a safe space for intersex people within the region, identify needs and priorities for the Asian intersex community, and to reinforce the Asian Intersex Statement.
Under the theme “Engage, Embrace, and Empower,” the 4th Asian Intersex Forum, organized in Kathmandu, Nepal united 45 intersex activists, and representatives of intersex organizations from 11 countries across Asia including Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Russia, Japan, and Taiwan. The forum centered on a critical truth: Intersex people exist, and matter! We have always existed in Asia and worldwide, yet remain marginalized and largely misunderstood in societal narratives. This gathering challenges that erasure, affirming that intersex lives are not abstract—we are human, valid, and deserving of attention and support.
