UNAIDS Asia-Pacific 
Archives
#LoveWithoutLabels is a campaign that recognizes and celebrates everyone’s right to choose their sexual identity and partners. Stigma and discrimination continue to affect many people who identify themselves outside of the gender binary. As a result, they are apprehensive, unsure and, at times, afraid to express themselves freely and show emotional and physical affection towards their partners. This stigma also leads to many people keeping their sexual and gender identities a secret and avoiding testing… Read More
It’s a year since Nepal was hit by a devastating earthquake which killed more than 8 000 people. The lesbian gay bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community was particularly affected by the disaster. The Blue Diamond Society is dedicated to improving the sexual health, well-being and human rights of sexual minorities in Nepal and has about 218,000 members throughout the country. UNAIDS speaks to Manisha Dhakal, Executive Director of the Blue Diamond… Read More
(The views and opinions expressed in interviews or commentaries are those of the interviewees and contributors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of UNAIDS) 31 March is International Day of Transgender Visibility, which celebrates the achievements of transgender people as well as raises awareness of the discrimination and challenges the community can face. Employment is an area where there is often discrimination, but there are increasing openings for… Read More
This week the Nepal government presented its first “O” passport to a transgender woman. Manisha Dhakal, the acting Executive Director of the Blue Diamond Society writes about what this landmark move means to her and other transgender people.
Singapore’s Court of Appeal recently upheld the law criminalizing sex between men, a ruling the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) community in Asia sees as part of a growing conservative trend in the region. For example, in 2013 the Supreme Court of India overturned the 2009 decision of the Delhi High Court to strike down a 150-year-old law criminalizing same-sex sexual conduct. In Singapore, men who commit acts of “gross… Read More
UNAIDS Asia-Pacific 