Commemorating the anniversary of Asian Intersex Statement

Date: 18 February 2021

This month, which marks the third anniversary since the adoption of the Asian Intersex Statement, we recall the Asian Intersex Statement and take stock of the developments that have taken place since then.

In February 2018, the first Asian Intersex Forum was organised in Bangkok, Thailand. This was a landmark event primarily for two reasons – Firstly, the decision to start Intersex Asia as the first regional network of Asian intersex organisations and intersex individuals was taken during the forum. Secondly, the Asian Intersex statement was adopted by the attendees of the forum. 14 Intersex people from 10 different countries in the Asian region participated in the forum.

This was the first instance when the Asian intersex community came together with a view to affirm their identity and make a claim for their rights at the regional level. The statement is a comprehensive articulation of the demands of the Asian intersex community and provides a much-required context of the status of intersex rights in the region. The demands highlighted in the Statement are in alignment with the articulations from other regional intersex movements and also international human rights instruments. It is important to note here that the Asian Intersex Statement added a new strand to the understanding of intersex human rights as well. It was perhaps the first instance when inheritance rights of intersex people were given a place of prominence in a regional statement.

Since the adoption of the statement, several positive developments have taken place in the Asian region with regard to intersex human rights. Intersex-led organisations and intersex individuals have led the movement for change and we are proud of the fact that the Asian Intersex Statement has been a guiding document in their journey.

The statement reflects the lived experience of intersex people in the region. The adoption of the statement paved the way for documenting the human rights violations against the intersex people in the Asian region. We are delighted to note that the statement provided a basis for intersex-led organisations and intersex activists to craft their research and advocacy agenda. Further, we are also glad to observe that the Asian intersex statement has been cited in numerous academic works.

Being the regional network which pioneered the movement within Asia, Intersex Asia has regarded the Asian Intersex Statement to be a guiding light in all its activities. The vision, mission and working principles of the organisation are premised on the spirit of the statement. Furthermore, the founders of the organisation continue to draw inspiration from the statement in their activism.

The foremost agenda behind coming up with the statement was to promote the visibility of intersex people in the rights discourse and also spread awareness on intersex rights. While we are delighted to take note of the developments that have taken place since the adoption of the statement, we are also conscious of the challenges that lie ahead. As an organisation, we are continuously working as per the principles enshrined in the statement. We are committed to supporting initiatives which are in alignment with the demands mentioned in the statement.

With a view to spread awareness about intersex rights within different countries in the region, Intersex Asia coordinated a major translation project in the year 2019. As part of the project, the Asian Intersex Statement was translated into 12 Asian languages. We are delighted to share that the translated versions are available for download from our website.

The statement holds a strong value for Intersex Asia as an organisation. In the coming years, the organisation has resolved to conduct research on the issues outlined in the statement and also design advocacy campaigns on the basis of this document. We take this opportunity to reiterate the call for cooperation from our partners, national governments, national human rights institutions, media, international organisations and also donors to continue supporting the cause of intersex human rights.

Follow this link to access the Asian Intersex Statement https://intersexasia.org/resources/publications/asian-intersex-statement/