UN Human Rights Council votes to renew the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (IE SOGI)

APTN welcomes the decision of the Human Rights Council to renew the IE SOGI mandates. More importantly, we commend the tireless work of civil societies from across the world to advocate with Human Rights Council members and UN member states to ensure their vote and endorsement for the mandate renewal. We did it together! 

APTN is proud to be part of international and national level advocacy by:

• Supporting global statements among civil society across the globe
• At Trans Advocacy Week 2025, APTN, TGEU, GATE, RFSL, and ILGA World have engaged with several dialogues at 59th Human Rights Council in June 2025 encouraging state members to vote ‘In Favor’ renewal IE SOGI
• In Thailand, APTN are proud to co-lead the advocacy along with Young Pride Club and Isaan Gender Diversity Network to advocate with the Thai Government to vote ‘In Favor’ for the mandate renewal. Through this partnership, we launched the statement endorsed by CSOs and activists from across Thailand with over 50 undersigns. We have also presented this statement to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and Thailand Permanent Mission in Geneva.

Why is the renewal of this mandate important?

The IE SOGI mandate is created by the UN Human Rights council to address the concern that in many regions of the world, there are acts of violence and discrimination committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

Since the inception, the mandate has been working to document the human rights issues pertaining LGBTIQA+ lives from across the world and demonstrate the reality to state members in holding them accountable to international human rights law and promises.  APTN has been working closely with the mandate through different processes in global, regional and national advocacy fronts to ensure the voices from trans and gender diverse people from Across Asia and Pacific are reflective in every front. 

How is the decision made?

This decision to renew the mandate is made through the voting of countries who are part of the UN Human Rights Council; and the final decision came up to 29 YES, 15 NO, and with 3 countries ABSTAINING. From this renewal process, we have observed and welcomed the shift in position of the Asian state members from against to promote the human rights of LGBTIQA+ people 

Within the Asia Pacific, countries voted:

(Source: https://hrcmeetings.ohchr.org/HRCSessions/RegularSessions/59/DL_Resolution/L.2.pdf ):

We hope Asian state members continue this traction of the positive progresses made such as legalization of marriage equality in Thailand and these recent support to renew IE SOGI by multiple Asian Human Rights Council Members , and make greater impact for better lived realities of trans and gender diverse people from across the region.