APA 2015-2016 Report
At the “ My Body , My Rights ” side event , the voices of key populations shared the negative impacts that stigma , discrimination and punitive legal environments have on their health status . Organized by APA and International Planned Parenthood Federation South Asia Region ( IPPF SARO ) on 28 January , in cooperation with Asia Pacific Transgender Network ( APTN ) and the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health ( APCOM ), the session explored why the laws , policies and practices that criminalize adult consensual sexual behavior and discriminate on the basis of behavior and identity must be eliminated .
Speakers at the My Body , My Rights side event . Kabir Singh , APA ; Inad Rendon , APCOM ; Natt Kraipet , APTN ; Seyfa Ahmad , YouthLEAD ( l-r ).
Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development
“ Strengthening integration , implementation and review for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific ” was the theme of the second session of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development ( APFSD ), which took place on 21-22 May 2015 at UN ESCAP . The APFSD provides regional input into the High Level Political Forum .
At the preparatory CS Forum , APA co-organized a session with ARROW , IPPF SARO and IPPF East and South East Asia and Oceania Region ( ESEAOR ), and Partnership on Maternal , Newborn and Child Health ( PMNCH ) on Gender , Sexuality and SRHR on 19 May , and the Thematic Working Group on Gender , Sexuality and SRHR was initiated as an outcome . It aims to increase awareness and coordinate the response of civil society organizations from various constituencies on the topic of gender , sexuality and SRHR through the Asia Pacific Regional Civil Society Engagement Mechanism ( AP RCEM ) at UN ESCAP . APA also ensured that accountability and SRHR were highlighted in the final statement .
“ Regional priorities for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific ” was the theme of the third session of the APFSD , which took place on 3-5 April 2016 .
At the preparatory CS forum , APA was elected as co-coordinator of the Thematic Working Group on Gender , Sexuality and SRHR along with ARROW . The cross-constituency working group consists of representatives from the LGBTIQ , persons living with and affected by HIV , older groups , migrants , fisherfolks , persons with disabilities , NGO , women , and the children , youth and adolescents constituencies at the AP RCEM .
SDG Week at ESCAP
Also in 2016 , APA was selected to participate in the SDG Week at UN ESCAP , and attended a meeting to Review the Regional SDG Report on 29 November , and the Asia Pacific Follow-up and Review process on 1-2 December . APA advocated for the inclusion of linkages on the ICPD review process with the review of the SDGs at the regional level , and for a robust regional review and follow-up process that includes scope for alternative reporting by civil society and inputs from the results of international human rights review processes , such as the Universal Periodic Review .
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