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Good morning, everyone. Uh, this session is more the, uh, on the Pacific human rights conference that we had in Tonga. Um, in May last year, I guess some of you were, um, had seen it on Internet. That, um, we had quite a an audience from outside the, um uh, from the, uh, um, public. But, uh, [00:00:30] it was just 12 people from this church, and that didn't really bother us. The conference went well, And, um, but, uh, we want to, um, um, report back on the outcome of that, uh, conference and bear in mind. We are looking at, um, hosting the next Pacific Conference, um, in the Cook Islands next year. And, uh, at this time, I won't waste any more time. Um, I'll let, [00:01:00] uh, Kelly, uh, give you a, um the, uh, outcome the overview of of the of the conference. And then you can ask questions if you like. Thank you. Thank you. The Pacific uh, LGBTI human rights conference that was held in Tonga was the very first one for the Pacific. And the theme of the conference was our voices, our communities, our rights, advancing human rights related to sexual orientation gender [00:01:30] identity an expression in the Pacific. And it was hosted by the Pacific Sexual Diversity uh, network in NUKUALOFA to from the 11th to the 14th of May. We had about 96 people, uh, attendee, uh, including, uh, 73 per, uh, participants from the 12 different Pacific Island countries and territories. And, uh, these were mainly volunteers [00:02:00] and civil society representatives or individuals who are human rights defenders. And, uh, the countries included Cook islands, Fiji, American Samoa. Uh, we had people from Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Kiri Palau. And there were also some, um, attendees or delegates from the Australia from Australia and New Zealand. The, um, [00:02:30] there were four key objectives of the conference. Uh, one was to connect the, uh, people and LGBTI to organised groups across the Pacific region, uh, to share our ideas, uh, information also the strategies and programmes that we implement in our different countries to affirm our dignity, equality, and the security of, uh, LGBT people and communities in the Pacific. We also use the conference as a [00:03:00] platform to educate and advocate about international human rights law and recent international developments and agreed principles like the Yogyakarta principles and encourage participants to use or refer to these international instruments when they are are doing the advocacy work in country. [00:03:30] We also used the conference to promote collaboration and to build genuine and accountable partnerships among the organisations that were present and to also encourage and push those who are present to undertake social action across the Pacific region, learning from our human rights successor and challenges [00:04:00] and also responding to the violations against people because of their soI status. Uh, the conference was also about, uh, promoting and en enabling access to sharing information and the dissemination of information, ideas, experiences as well as resources among uh all the countries that were present and also improving understanding and strengthening [00:04:30] the collaboration among key stakeholders that are in the region, particularly in terms of the donor, um, communities and development agencies in the region. Um, and most of those objectives, the would not only target some of those objectives we felt was also long term objectives. OK, some of the things [00:05:00] that we needed to achieve that objectives would require a long term, uh, action OK. And some of those actions are currently being undertaken by the PSDN and its members. There were five, priorities that were identified, uh, during the the conference, and this came out as outcomes, uh, for the conference and areas in which all the members or all the all the PSDN members [00:05:30] and participants were going to prioritise in the next 3 to 5 years and number one is access to health services. This was identified as a priority for the LGBT Q I persons, uh, in the Pacific, particularly those in remote communities. And as you know, in the Pacific, we are separated by large bodies of water in the ocean [00:06:00] and most of these islands are unreachable and we have members of our community who are LGBT are in those islands that are not reached at all by any organisation. And this was one of the reasons we thought that we need to specially mention those in remote communities. But otherwise, even in urban centres, we do not have services that are specifically targeted towards [00:06:30] LGBT people. And one of the major, um, discussion also was around the linkages between health and climate change and that health must be considered in the broader context of climate change and the limits that it has on sexual and reproductive health and rights. [00:07:00] So that was also one of the key things that we felt was a priority for us as a community to ensure that when we are having discussions on health or any other development issue that affects us as a community, we need to factor in the climate change, uh, implications, given the environment that we live in, uh, under health, uh, steel, condoms and HIV testing. Uh, and counselling [00:07:30] was a priority. And there's not many countries that have established networks or organisations that focus on LGBTI, and they are not well resourced. So most of the work that is done is done purely on the passion, uh, of the individual and they are unpaid, and we can expect them to to do [00:08:00] their work in a much more organised and structured way. It's entirely dependent on their interest or what their mood is like. That is when they come to us and tell us we would like to distribute condoms or share information. So this is an area that we would like to strengthen, uh, within, uh, the Pacific, particularly for the key populations for men who have sex with men are transgender, transgender women as well as sex workers. [00:08:30] Another, um, area that, uh and as, um, human had, um, shared in the plenary. Uh, we did. We didn't see hormonal therapy as a priority during the conference. That's why it doesn't appear in the outcomes. Uh, statement, um, for our trans community demanding for hormones. OK, but this doesn't negate the fact that it was discussed [00:09:00] during the conference. It's just that it wasn't a priority identified by our by the forum. The other area under access to health services was, uh, health professionals. Not many of them have been sensitised towards the specific needs of the LGBTI community. So we felt that their capacity building, uh, in terms of sensitization towards, uh, our [00:09:30] LGBTI specific needs, uh, need to be undertaken also in the next, uh, 3 to 5 years. So that was on access to health services. And, uh, the other priority area was young LGBT people. We feel that in most, um, open spaces and, uh, safe spaces, there were not many opportunities or there were lack of participation from our younger [00:10:00] LGBT people. This is those within the age, like 16 or maybe 19 below those 19 below. There was hardly any of the organisations that, um the LGBTI organisations in the Pacific that were reaching our younger, uh LGBTI communities So they are not reached by many of our programmes and they do [00:10:30] face a lot of bullying, extensive bullying, especially those in secondary schools and this often contribute to these young LGBT people leaving school early. So what we have identified is that we need to strengthen our comprehensive strengthen or even introduce comprehensive sexuality education at all levels not only in school but also out of school. For those, um, to target young [00:11:00] uh LGBTI people OK, and there's, uh a lot of work that needs to be done in this area to be able to reduce uh, bullying experienced by young G BT people in schools. The third area that we, um thought was a priority was security for our community members. And there's a lot of barriers to security that were identified [00:11:30] in the discussions that we had at the conference. And some of these included accessing police in cases of domestic violence by partners and family members. For example, in Fiji, we have the constitution where our rights are protected, supposedly protected under the Bill of Rights. But it's only up there. The implementation is very [00:12:00] poor. OK, so we members of our community who are taken to the police, particularly the trans sex workers who are often taken from the streets and taken to the police stations. They face a lot of harassment, uh, and at times are even raped by those who are supposed to be protecting them. So this protection, uh, for our community is very weak, and they are abused by the people who are in power. [00:12:30] Um, the fourth one is our movement, uh, building, uh, within the countries and also across the region. We feel that needs to This needs to continue and needs to be strengthened, uh, through future in person, convening. Uh, although we have, uh, the Internet that has sort of made the world smaller in the Pacific. We like to talk. [00:13:00] We don't like writing, so we prefer meeting in person. It often, uh, is more meaningful. And we are able to, uh, have substantive discussions and also able to create a synergy which we take back to our homes and also the energy and motivation to take back to our island countries and, uh, do the work that needs to be done. And we also need a lot of a lot of training on human rights, Uh, [00:13:30] and strengthening of Pacific networks like the PSDN. And most of the participants that attended the the the conference they were learning. It was the first time for for them to learn about the international human rights instrument during the conference. And this is a common situation across the Pacific. It's just the people that are sitting up here, and only a few of us who have been exposed to such, um, spaces. [00:14:00] And we are privileged to learn about these things. Otherwise, majority of our members, uh, lack information that they have adequate, uh, inadequate knowledge on human rights. The movement needs to be stronger, and we need, uh, inputs and participation from, uh, the various, uh, sexual diversities, particularly lesbians and bisexuals, uh, who are men [00:14:30] and also trans schooling. Uh, so bisexual women and bisexual men and trans masculine persons, perhaps through a separate but mutually reinforcing in convenience. Uh, in the Pacific, you will see that only a majority of the activists are trans women and now we in Fiji. We are fortunate to have very strong women rights [00:15:00] activists and feminists who are also lesbians. So they have been able to strengthen the participation of, um, lesbian, bisexual, our women and trans men in the movement. Otherwise, in other Pacific countries, it's, uh it's still work in progress. And the final, uh, priority area that was identified also during [00:15:30] the conference was the lack of data, the need for more researchers. Um, there's not much data on the Pacific in the region. There's very little research done in the Pacific. I think only in Fiji we've had two, IB BS S that has been done and in other Pacific Island countries, Uh, there's very, [00:16:00] uh, little or none at all. And this is an area we have identified because we need evidence to be able to, uh, convince our policymakers to support our programmes and our endeavours. So that's why we have, uh, identified, uh, research as an area where we need, uh to put in more effort and also more resources so that when we meet in the next five years, we are able to make [00:16:30] progresses in these five priority areas that were identified during the conference. Thank you, miss. Uh, Joey, thank you very much. Uh, Miss Kelly, Um, before we go into questions and answers, um, is there anything else that anyone else would like to, um add from So OK, I was given, um, moments building for [00:17:00] me to present on. Well, you can, um in the beginning, I think the number one issue that we have is isolation in the Pacific region. You see, with Melanesian Micronesian, Polynesians, we have all over all over the the the old Pacific Ocean. So it's very hard in terms of communications, but we really prefer as we come together with the old traditional way of face to face in representing our issues and dialogue, it is right to have specific focus to the dialogue [00:17:30] with the LGBTI human rights issues and discrimination. Pacific uh LGBTI Q Human rights conference and April dedicates from Pacific discuss regional issues. Human rights mechanisms available to us strategy Addressing homophobia, transphobia, associate impact in the communities. So, to this end, it is important that the regional work is promoting soggy human rights in the Pacific continues soon supported by our stakeholders Government, [00:18:00] Pacific countries and territories. Regional and international NGO S, UN bodies, L, BC, Q I and South Africa communities and donors. In the same gathering, we review some of the complicity of human rights issues in our region. The different ideas and the selling and priorities emerge more diverse voices the from We talk about how culture gave a sense of belonging and connectedness [00:18:30] feeling I of families in the community. But they still struggle with discrimination with respect to countries. Um, the loss of recognition of the cultural role that have in families like the impact to the sense of belonging and well being, the struggle for human rights recognition as sexually sexuality and gender diverse people. We must remember that we are also interested recognition for our cultures. The situation [00:19:00] is a bit different. You Papua New Guinea, preferably me countries where there is no no, uh, culture recognition of gender diverse people and across the board all the island lesbian, bisexual, trans masculine identity are invisible and have not been included in some of the broader movements work LGBT women are working close actively in the other spaces around development, climate change, human rights, et cetera. But it stronger importance [00:19:30] to PC. I GB I movement. This was the end of this gathering recommendations were BS DN and delegates from the need to work with the international partners and donors to organise follow up in 2017. By the time we meet, we can see assistance with the smaller uh LGBT. Women [00:20:00] should address the following points longer in de workshops on key aspects such as human rights framework, key terms and acronyms should be explained and across should be provided. There should be translated for non-english speakers attention to some of the logistic, uh, logistical challenges that are common for first timers and should be addressed for future gatherings. Delegates give country presentation in the state of right within [00:20:30] their country. Cultural identities such as a and a address culturally appropriate ways, not just as G PC Q I ensure accessibility. Inclusion of disabled members of the community are processing health of delegates by including safe six AIDS in conference bags. Further new and returning PSD and board members or the board as a whole undertakes governance training or engage with partner organisations to upskill [00:21:00] in this area. PSDN should also develop a strategy for meaningful engagement with the French speaking and Pacific countries UH, a priority. Moving forward awareness and acceptance of and our movements in both internal capacity. Building around communications and building capacity for mainstream media and coverage of the people and issues media and identifies the priority in the way forward measures generated by delegates. [00:21:30] Communication Public awareness strategies were broadly discussed during this, uh, conference. The last two recommendations. Um, I think it's still on the issue of capacity building more capacity building in terms of, um, the latest technology and internal external communications and training for regional journalism and journalists and other um um [00:22:00] associated, uh, personnel about media should, um, learn more about so human rights issues and and G PC Q I, uh, issues within our Pacific communities. Thank you. Just probably one point, uh, in terms of monitoring and research in the Pacific, we have a a huge gap in terms of actually looking at some of the latest trend on the human rights violations of LGBT people, [00:22:30] particularly uh, for, uh, murder cases of trans women. This is something that we've been pushing with the Fiji Human Rights Commission and something that we've also been struggling as an organisation like the House because of limited resources, we are not able to do this. And one of the questions that we always throw out to the floor, as you know within the members was whose responsibility is to monitor human rights elections in the Pacific to us, apart from, you know, using community resources to do this. I think it is also important to note that [00:23:00] the state has an obligation to monitor human rights abuse of LGBT people under the Paris principles. If you're looking at, you know, Samoa and Fiji, who has, uh, the Human Rights Commission and I think it's important that we hold them accountable in terms of this, uh uh, obligations, particularly for grassroots communities who have no funding at all, no resources to be able to do this. [00:23:30] And I think it's That's why it's important to to work with the government. One of the key recommendations that came out from the Human Rights Conference in Tonga in terms of monitoring and evaluation is more data is needed on the health needs of lesbian, bisexual and transgender women, including an analysis of violence experienced by these women. So one of the things that we're doing this year, like I've mentioned in the past at events is that we will be working with the Fijian women's rights movement. [00:24:00] This is going to be a community led research specifically on sexual and gender based violence of trans women. And fortunately, we've been able to receive a very, very small grant from the European Union. For us to be able to do this, this is going to be the first ever, uh, S GB V research in Fiji and I'm sure in the Pacific Islands as well has there been a research done on S GB violence specifically for trans women? So I think it's very important that hopefully that the other countries will be [00:24:30] able to to do the same as well for in terms of monitoring human rights violations on violence against transgender women. We've had the IB BS report that, uh mentioned the vulnerability of transgender women in terms of violence. But the limitations of that report was it didn't go in depth into the situation and the whole, uh, the situation of trans women violence. The other recommendation is CSO S in the region [00:25:00] need support from all partners to further their training on documenting and monitoring the human rights situations in their countries. A couple of years ago, we spoke with transgender er doctor Kala, who came to the region. He's she's worked with, uh, association. They've been working together, and Jolene will be talking more about that. I was actually thinking of engaging her for the research, but then it's very expensive to get someone from Europe and to be able to do this unless she's doing it for pro bono. So one of the options that we had [00:25:30] was we spoke with Pacific leaders, uh, women leadership, uh, doctor Gina Hongli. And she recommended doctor Julian Fletcher from La Trobe University, who's done some work with Papua New Guinea in terms of violence against women. So she's working with us for this research. So fortunately, we've gotten her on board to be able to do this. But most most of the work will be done by us. We'll be doing the field work. We'll be done. The methodologies, the questionnaires, everything. We'll be analysing the data with us. So [00:26:00] she is. This is going to be a community led and community owned, uh, activity. And lastly, the recommendation that came out in terms of monitoring and research. Governments must be pressured to consider and implement recommendations in the, uh, office of the High Commission for Human Rights Report and the Gear Principles and for good. We've been working with from the office of the High Commission for Human Rights in the Pacific and, uh, for the free and equal campaign. And also, we've [00:26:30] had conversation with her in terms of monitoring of these, uh, violations of LG three people, OK, just to, um just to follow up on, um, on what said? There. There. There was one. research. Uh, it was more like AAA social mapping, um, legal and social mapping of Hania. And and, uh, this was done through PSDN on the former members from from the countries. [00:27:00] Um, and it's got I've got copies of the of all of that over here. Um, for everybody. It's on the trans respect versus transphobia. Um, and it's got, um it provides an overview of the human rights situations and trans persons in different parts of the world. Um, and it develops a You a useful data. But this this, um, was suggested [00:27:30] that, uh um that, uh, mentioned that it there should be one specifically on the undeveloped Pacific countries to cover, all because we weren't able to get every country. And, um, uh, it's got everything to do with, uh, the latest criminalization prosecute [00:28:00] prosecution and state sponsored discrimination hormones and hormone therapy. Um, gender reassignment treatment, Surgery of body, um, modifications. So please grab a copy of it. I've got a whole lot of of of it over here, but, um, like said, then there needs to be one that's actually run and managed by the Pacific people. [00:28:30] Um, to to make sure that we have an updated, uh, report on what's happening. Um, in in in the Pacific Islands. Uh, what are the things we one of the things we're hoping to cover in terms of this research, we're going to between this in April. So hopefully in July or August, we're going to be launching this in Fiji. It's gonna be available online, and then we can show is to [00:29:00] look at the death of transgender women in Fiji. We've had murder cases in the past where transgender women have been murdered in mako in land some other areas, you know, cassava shoved up there. They're back and all of that Women coming, you know, back from work, assaulted in the in the plantation and all of that. They they lost their life. And then the murder case of, um, John Scott and his partner and all of that. So these are not documented. These stories are not [00:29:30] told so to us, it is important to have this so that we will be able to hear, like, you know, the the unheard voices of these women. I think it's also important to to to talk about the role that PSDN play in terms of monitoring research in the Pacific. To To me, it's important that we're not just holding government accountable. We're holding each other as well. Accountable. How? How can we strengthen the role of the Pacific sexual diversity in the region To be able to have the capacity [00:30:00] to do this kind of work in the future, like I wanna have that conversation as well? And to me, this is important that we sit over here to to sort of engage in that and look at our partners in Australia and New Zealand how they can help them. The movement to be able to to have that in place to Giana. Um, yeah, um I think as, um have already [00:30:30] mentioned, um, most of the stuff, in his view about the Pacific Human Rights Conference. But I'll just, um, elaborate further on the security issues that we have in the Pacific. Um, like he mentioned as well about the domestic violence by partners and family members. Um, when the reports are made, they weren't, um, being attended to like the police didn't attempt to assist or they didn't further on with the, um, with the investigation or other, [00:31:00] Um um, technicalities that were supposed to be done. Um, the funny thing is, um, in some of our countries, for example, in Fiji, um, they, um, have the soy, um, protection of stigma, discrimination. But when it comes to like, um, such cases of domestic violence or even harassment, the police officers they do not enforce or implement, like, um, silicon, um, [00:31:30] mentioned, um, the the law in place of the Bill of Rights. Um, I think one of the issues that we discuss further on the in this conference is because maybe there weren't enough training. Or maybe they were just ignorance of the, um, in the recruitment of the police or they weren't just, um, con dialogue in place at all. Uh, to, uh, put in the move, uh, put in enforce the, uh, the bill of rights of, um, protection of, [00:32:00] um LGBT persons on stigma discrimination. Um, also, uh, with the LGBT sex workers. Um, when they get arrested, it's the same case, um, they go when they get held in custody or are in jail. They the police make fun of them. They were in instances where they ask them to touch each other's genital parts and play with each other and, uh, stripped [00:32:30] and naked some. In some cases, they, um they get raped and whatnot, so it's quite severe. Well, it's severe in the consequence of the consequences that they face in in prison. Um, so we with all of that, with the recommendation that we have in place, is to more, uh, to lobby more with the government on the government level in each country. Um, for the more the advocacy of [00:33:00] the laws, advocacy of the laws, in terms of training with the law and for the lawmakers, the policy makers the police, the police officers, um, and other people in the policy level, uh, to put into practise the training into place for people to understand and communicate across with the, um, the the law so that everyone in the police force do understand the issue. Uh, do understand the LGBT community and [00:33:30] to, um to have the respect and to carry out what the law and to implement further on what the law has stated. Yeah, I think that's all good to say about security. Um, I Elizabeth One of the highlights during the conference was bullying of young LGBTI because of the serious bullying in the education system [00:34:00] where driven all the LGBTI people to not completing their educations that fed up most of them end up on the street doing sex work. And eventually they don't, um, some of them, especially in Papua New Guinea, settings they can't read. And most of them cannot, you know, get information about basic how to prevent them from HIV and AIDS, which leads them to get infected with HIV and AIDS and even other [00:34:30] ITIS as well. So um, one of the recommendations that were made was to look at the education curriculum in place so that, um will try and push in with the policy makers, work with the policy or the Department of Education to push in and to, um, try and, um put in US sexual reproductive time uh, sexual reproductive, [00:35:00] uh, sexual reproductive health education system in place so that students can be taught in school about gender identity and sexual orientation and the sexuality of different individuals. One of the recommendations that were made also was government must be pressured to introduce comprehensive sexuality and human rights education in the school career. Colum and the other one was PN, and all groups [00:35:30] in the region should consider fostering youth in leadership position within the organisation. So this comes back to PSD and and other organisations within the respective countries who are already working with the young LGBT R to even build their leadership skills and do this mentoring system so they can be the next advocator for the next generation. Thank you. Um, [00:36:00] we don't have much time, um, for another presentation, but for the rest of the 20 minutes or 25 minutes, I'll leave it for the audience to, um, ask any question to colleagues. Oh, sorry, Jack. And then should I start? Um, hi, everybody. Thank you for the presentation. My name is Julia. I'm originally from Italy. But [00:36:30] now I'm a student at the university of and I would like to ask you a question regarding, uh, your advocacy in the Pacific. And my question is, uh do you engage or do you have some sort of collaboration with, uh, big human rights NGO S like Amnesty International or Human Rights Watch? And, of course, the And if they help you, for example, uh, for [00:37:00] the, uh, I don't know, capacity building on the international human rights law or to work with the United Nations and things like this. Thank you. At the Pacific Human Rights Conference, we had a international that was one of our partners. And a international is one of the well known um LGBT human rights. Um, international NG. I think [00:37:30] it is based in, uh, Canada, based in Canada. So they were instrumental in, uh, assisting us in mobilising funds to, um to support the organisation of the conference. And apart from that, they also did facilitate the sessions on international human rights law and that was the only engagement [00:38:00] substantive one that we have had with them. But we continue to contact each other every now and again. And, uh, we are also currently waiting for the next call of applications from the US State Department. Global equality, uh, programme. And they are specifically targeting the Pacific in this round. So they have, uh, advised [00:38:30] us to look for international, not look for international partners. Look for partners first, locally at the local or regional level. Uh, who can work with us, Uh, in terms of strengthening the work or our capacity around the area of human rights. And we have a regional organisation in Fiji, the Pacific community, It it has a division on regional. It's a rights, [00:39:00] uh, regional rights resource team. So they have been providing technical assistance to many countries in the region, particularly for women's rights and Children's rights and G BT i rights. They have also supported the conference. And this is one of the partners that we have, uh, uh approached to assist us with this work. And also they have, um asked us [00:39:30] to also explore other international partners who can help them and for them to also help us to implement the programme that we are going to develop in preparation for this global equality Fund. I think another important process that I want to add is the role that world plays. And I can, uh, add [00:40:00] on in terms of the universal periodic review processes. And I think they were very instrumental in making sure that the countries in the Pacific they were currently under review and they have submissions from the LGBT community, particularly one that we had from Fiji that was facilitated through world. And they made the submissions on our behalf in Geneva as well as, uh, Samoa and Yemenia as well is also looking at the current development that's taking place in the [00:40:30] Solomon Islands in terms of the review of the Constitution and the removal of the discrimination clause in the the old one. So those are some of the things the other one is important to note is the last year's engagement and PSD and was engaged with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for the launching of the free and equal campaign, the videos on YouTube and we have a DVD or we're supposed to play it OK, so we have the DVD for that in terms. So that's one of the engagement that we have. We also [00:41:00] engaging with UN SC in terms of the post 2015 development processes as well as the SDG in terms of engaging in the development of the indicators. Some of us will be in Bangkok in the next month for the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, so that's a very important global process as well. And also one of our PSD and board members. The youngest, the Youth Rep. Ms. Miki Wale is currently in New York for the [00:41:30] 60th Commission on the Status of Women, pushing the issues of, uh, lesbian, bisexual and transgender women from the Pacific to that process as well. As, uh, some of us were involved in the intergovernmental, uh, meeting on HIV a ID last year in Bangkok. And those are some of the processes that we've been involved in at the regional level Uh, a PT gas a PTNI. I sit in the regional steering Committee for the Asia Pacific Transgender Network Regional [00:42:00] Steering Committee. So we are influencing some of some of the development is taking place at the Asia Pacific region. And I think it's very strategic that we engage at the at the, you know, those of, uh, development partners that's based in Bangkok, particularly the UN in terms of actually, uh, pushing across some of the agendas from the Pacific Islands. Do you want to add some more? There is a lot like, [00:42:30] um, so if anyone doesn't know me, I'm Jack from grinder. Um and I just wanted to I know it sounds funny every time I say it, um, I just wanted to I was really thinking about the research piece, and I just wanted to offer us as one way to get that out. Um, so if there are particular that are already happening, like in Fiji, I'm happy to send that out to all brand new users in Fiji to increase the number of people who are taking the survey or if we wanted to collaborate on an [00:43:00] original survey that was all throughout the Pacific. Um, I just checked the numbers and we have about 5000 users in outside of New Zealand and Australia within the Pacific. So I think that we could get at least some information that might be useful. I think another important thing to note in terms of like if you do, you know, like who releases is just a platform for gay men or for transgender women as well. If you're doing research on trans violence, for example, [00:43:30] I think it's important to note like I know it's a We love it. I mean, it's gay men by men, trans women and then trans men. But among trans women and trans men, it's mostly people who are interested in partnering with men. So not so much lesbian trans women or trans men who date women. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, Somebody didn't know that. And, um [00:44:00] mm Oh, usually when we've done this in the past with research, we do. Then if we publish it, say, like this is among grinder users. And so you know, not to say that it represents the whole community, but that it adds to a one piece to the research. I think it's important, but I think I just want to be, like, very critical. If we talk about the Pacific Islands, we have also a community who are based in the rural areas or, you know, like other islands that have no access at all to Internet [00:44:30] or social media and all of that. So I think, uh, when we talk about engaging with, we want to engage. But we just wanted to make sure that we all cover. You know, the people we represent, everyone who's out there, It's a great platform. I mean, it's a great platform to to use in the right tool. And I think maybe, um, like some engagement on some HIV AIDS research or something that we want to push out or a message or something like that. Definitely the the platform to go with with with [00:45:00] a 5000 base immediately. That's kind of like, you know, that's an instant snapshot that you can't ignore from our from from grinder users. But it's what I have so that you can promote our. If we do get our website up, we can use grinder to promote our website. OK, I need [00:45:30] my job is literally just to be useful. So is there any other question? Media, both electronic and print are very important in terms of, uh, people's perception of what's happening in the alternative sexualities world, and I was interested to be interested to hear, [00:46:00] Um, what your opinions are about the way that you are portrayed in the media and whether or not you have access through the media to get the messages that you want to get out to your communities to do so Or is there Is there an entrenched um, is there a trenched hierarchy or institutional, uh, practises that prevent you from actually getting the messages across? So my question is about [00:46:30] how and how effective and, uh, how effective and whether or not there are barriers to getting the message through the existing media, Well, I believe it's a matter of like I said before we the Pacific being very isolated and we scattered all around the, you know, all these vast oceans. But it's just a matter of improving. Like I said, from the the outcomes of our human rights [00:47:00] that we had in Tonga, that will be the number one recommendation is to improve in terms of recommendations. But, um, I think we we still doing fine with the help of the social media and all in terms of getting contact and and and lobbying, talking about issues and and and stuff so Yeah. So media, social media is, is is is really assisting us as well. But, uh, we also have other means of getting getting our messages across and our issues, as well as getting out [00:47:30] some data, um, in place for us. Yeah, So that's I help. One of the things. One of the things that we've never we've never explored as a group as a Pacific LGBTI group is the the the concept that that's very entrenched in our communities of storytelling. You know, um and it's something that that that that we all live by, is the telling of a story. And I think with the help of of we're looking for international [00:48:00] partners to partner with, to bring a video camera and and let us tell our stories, you know, because the the question you ask is whether we're portrayed accurately in the media and and it's it's not. And we have never been portrayed accurately in the media because we've always been portrayed, um, under the auspices of AC white, gay male, kind of, you know, paradigm. You know what I mean? We we're completely like 22 nationalities [00:48:30] and 22 different ways to skin that CIS white male paradigm, you know, and and we tell stories in a different way. And and one of the things interesting things that came up in the Pacific Human Rights Conference was this need for Pacific LGBTI to tell their story on their terms. And it's really, really important for us. Also, a smaller to a lesser extent, and some media training for some of those that do cover the region would help. Um especially around misgender [00:49:00] of individuals, especially trans individuals, is a big, big, big issue for for, for for us. But, you know, these things are like, um, baby steps. You know, um, we we we Well, some of our association and also some of the Fiji and LGBT organisations. We're exploring the issue of P SAS like public service announcements through storytelling and one of the and Rogers nodding off. But, um, one of the things that we we the [00:49:30] campaigns that we we're developing at the moment is the, um the filming a public service announcement about, um, people that, uh is behind bars. Um, and the concept is, um, that they're behind bars, handcuffed with gaffer tape over their mouths, but then When you pan in closer, you actually see their families behind them. That when you when you in prison with these, Um pre, you know, preconceived notions and ideas. LGBTI [00:50:00] in Samoa, you are actually imprisoning their families as well, which is a very, very powerful PS A that we we've been working with trying to kind of, like, get the get the message out there. But I really, really stressed the importance of storytelling within the Pacific context because for us, this is how we survived for thousands of years. Is a group of Pacific people sitting down by the fire and telling stories, and that's that's something that that we bring to our activism that's unique to us, and we want to definitely develop [00:50:30] that. One thing for sure is that the media really helps us a lot, really assisted us a lot, but also different situations. You know what I mean before, maybe some more situation is not quite the same with, um with other isolated islands and to value like that. But of course, the media really assists us. I. I believe in everything that we do. If we actually actually get that message across that correctly from the beginning. Yeah. What is [00:51:00] the situation? Um, in terms of our social media, I think, um, because of the low level of, um, education system in the country, um, it it will be very difficult. And if I happen to, like, you know, introduce grinder inside, they will be thinking that I'm promoting homosexual inside the country context. So it's like it varies from different countries. So it's more like, as Imani [00:51:30] said, uh, storytelling is a good way of, you know, addressing such issue among the LGBTI community, right? And then we just bring out there and then we say they will be like, uh, you are you trying to promote, um, like, same sex relationship or same sex? You know, those homosexuality in the country? Yeah, those are the things, but it varies from different country in the Pacific. Uh, for social media, social media is powerful [00:52:00] in its own way, but but I think it already mentioned that, uh, we we prefer face to face sessions like face to face talk is more effective. It has more meaning. It has the person that you storytelling to will absorb the information, the real information that you want to across because in, I think in all Pacific countries for like for Vanuatu, that smile that that person that you walk past on the street there's a story behind that smile. There's something big behind that smile. That smile [00:52:30] is just a smile of saying hello, but you don't even know what he or she is going through in life. So for us in Vanuatu, like for social media, um, in, like same case as Papua New Guinea, we do not have, um, most of the The illiteracy is very high in Vanuatu, so with social media. But a lot of people do not go on social media because first of all, Internet is very expensive to buy. Data is very expensive. Like, um, it's $5 New Zealand for 50 [00:53:00] megabytes. That's like That's how it is in Vanuatu. So it's very expensive. And plus the smartphones are very expensive as well, and Vato has 83 islands, and it's it's a a long where with a lot of people in the communities, they don't even know what um, what's this? Social media is, But with what free pride is doing is we do, um, theatre or role plays so that we go into the community and do plays, but [00:53:30] like it is an amusement to the community. But it creates a dialogue, storytelling. So this is where we get the stories of their lives. And then we come back and do analysis and stuff like that. Yeah, Can I ask one more question before we watch the video? Go ahead. I'm also curious, as as an American about the American parts of the Pacific and how much they are involved in these kinds of dialogues. And if there's [00:54:00] anything from sort of the mainland of the US that we should be doing to support people in the Northern Marianas and Guam, um, American Samoa, there something you can do You can kind of like, really like man up and decide the app, the applicability of the the the recent Supreme Court decision because, um, from the territory's point of view, you know, they're they're pushing that it doesn't apply because it's a territory and not a state of the other union. [00:54:30] So you know it leaves. It leaves these nationals, these US nationals in American Samoa and the Northern Marianas and all the other territories in the Pacific in limbo, in legal limbo. You know, they pledged their allegiance to you. They, they they they travel on US passports. But they can't enjoy the same rights that that that your citizens enjoy through the Supreme Court decision. Massive, massive issue for us in American Samoa. But like like everybody has told you, life in the Pacific carries on, they still [00:55:00] live. They wake up in the morning. For them, the priority is putting food on the table and a roof over the the house and stuff like that. But they look to you guys. You, you you like, you know the citizens, you know, being sort of whatever mainland centric LGBT spaces like. Nobody even knows who the activists are there. So if that's a way that we can also make connections, I think I would love to do that. Um, I'd like to ask your question for Vanuatu's case, [00:55:30] we have, um, those American Peace Workers Peace, Peace, Peace Corps. And just last year, we have, um because we've got a a big number of gay people gay peace cops coming to Vanuatu. So they're trying to, um, um liaise with pride, uh, to do further work in them because they when they come to Vanuatu, they have to learn our local dialect or like a national language of Isla. So we do a lot of translation for them now, and, um, we [00:56:00] help them in the community in terms of act, uh, behaving in the in a national, uh, sorry in the local level. But, um, they are the ones who come in and they teach us about grind down And, um, with, um, like the smart ones who come overseas for school and work overseas. But when they come home, they use grind up, but they do not share with others about grind down. So when this Peace Corps they come, they teach the other locals the ground of those who have smartphones [00:56:30] or those who live in towns. And so this is how they get around with their work. I mean, the advocacy and the the relationships there in terms of the work related to IV as well. Yeah, some Ame American summer is also a part of the PSDN. Yeah, and just, uh, also relating to your question on media. The UN human rights office in Fiji has [00:57:00] organised workshops in Fiji for media monitoring because we have had many experiences in the in Fiji where media personnel were making were using a gay jokes right as a way to create fun or laughter, you know, as a form of entertainment. So we have been having a lot of discussions also on social media about them and [00:57:30] then people posting videos of these media people, uh, saying, uh homophobic things on television and then they post it on big group pages and then you get a whole barrage of homophobes just feasting on that, uh, video saying really nasty things. So we are working with the human rights, uh, office, uh, in Fiji, the UN human rights office in Fiji trying [00:58:00] to sensitise, uh, the media. So the media people who didn't attend these workshops are the ones who are still using, um, gay jokes as a way of entertaining their audience. I had experienced a lot of time because I organised the transgender pageant back in Fiji. The anti pageant. It's the biggest pageant in in in Fiji, very household name and [00:58:30] probably in the Pacific in terms of organising the logistics everything. So one of the things that we get every year in terms. So my contest is they get mis gendered by the Fijians, particularly the Fijians, you know, referring to them as he and all of this. So one of the things we did was to to engage with the reporters themselves, like, you know, and hold them accountable there because we also have a relationship a really good relationship with the chairman of the Media Industry Development Authority in Fiji, who is Ashwin Raj. He's also gay and he sits on [00:59:00] our board. He's likely to become the next director of the Fijian Rights Commission. So one of the things we did was we worked with him through the media decree in terms of, you know, making sure that, you know, they are in the reporting in line with the protections of people identity under the Constitution and all of that. So we have made some progress. I've particularly made some progress. It is with a reporter who's gender at one of my contests in the past and all future articles that came out was, you know, it was good and things like that. So [00:59:30] this is the kind of engagement that we want to encourage and continue to to do in terms of the media in Fiji, apart from social media. And I think it's also a responsibility for the LGBT community to, particularly on social media. There's a lot of bitching around and, you know, mis gene just from our community to each other and on social media. So I think it's a responsibility as well as social media users from LGBT in general. Yeah, OK, any more questions? [01:00:00] Well, actually, I just wanted to to acknowledge the leadership shown by acting as a collective to to represent the Pacific. And, uh, my question sort of starts to lead into the New Zealand context in terms of, um, hearing and I heard this morning, and I understand completely that context relates to the context from which where you come from and where we come from. But one of the, uh, and also [01:00:30] um, the messages around how we can assist. So, for example, through the Pacific Forum, I think was one of those things. Uh, and my analysis of the New Zealand situation or the situation is that there are a lot of voices. And so there's an LGBTI voice. There's a voice and there's a Pacifica voice within that whole New Zealand context. So something I would like you to think [01:01:00] about is, uh, what are those common messages that might apply to each of those different categories so that we can support each other? Uh, wherever we are. And I know from a perspective that is the one that we relate to straight away. So I'll just leave that as a comment, Uh, if you want, um, a really good comment. Uh, Kevin made and was raised [01:01:30] in the forum this morning about using the the the annual Pacific Island Forum in Fiji has the issue of GL BT rights before been raised within the context, you know, as a tabled item of agenda which I'm aware has to come through the the foreign minister of the country concerned, has that actually already been raised in the past. These issues at the forum that no, never it's never [01:02:00] been on a record from all the Pacific Island Forum community that has been shared with the like specific urgy sexual orientation and gender identity and expression issues are are raised, but it kind of slightly it's sort of, uh, like, raised in other areas, like for education under education, under comprehensive sexuality education. You know where so issues. So that's where [01:02:30] we can sort of try and fit it in. But it's not, um, it's not, uh, specifically mentioned in documents that are used when they have those Pacific Island Forum leaders. So just a follow up question from the comment that you made is does the Pacific sexual identity groups have any plans to raise this at a future, Uh, Pacific Island Forum? Yeah, they have, [01:03:00] um, just last year they had started this process of, um inviting or calling for expressions of interest from anyone from from the foreign countries who would like to raise any regional issue any issue that they would like to be raised as a priority issue regionally, including Australia and New Zealand. And they usually open up that call for expressions in January, and it closes in Feb. [01:03:30] And this is all part of the new Pacific Island Forum plan, which is focused on regionalism. So last year was the first time they raised it, and we I was going through the list of submissions that were made. There were two on human rights and they were submitted by two, different groups, one of which was Lisa Walls and another person who was the Coon coon. And they were they were suggesting or proposing that [01:04:00] a human rights mechanism, a monitoring mechanism, uh, be set up originally where that body can monitor, uh, the work that's done on U PR on the implementation of U, PR and other human rights issues. Last night we had a I. I was part of the pre Pacific CS W preparatory meeting. That's that's currently happening in New York and we were at the Pacific Islands Forum where it happened. So we had representations [01:04:30] from women activists from Tonga. Like of we had, you know, Solomon Islands, Ville Samoa, who and then one of the conversations that I had with a gender specialist, uh Sima Naidu, was actually developing a briefing paper for the next ministerial meeting that's coming up in Port Moresby on LGBT. So this is one of the conversations that I really wanted to have with IO as well as PDN and us developing a draught sort of a policy paper and briefing on our position. In terms of that, one of the things that [01:05:00] we are also working on was to align and push through the Pacific Islands Forum Declaration on gender equality. There is some very progressive, uh, statements out there that we can, you know, sort of like, um, as an entry point to have the conversation with the ministers that's gonna be meeting very soon. Is it or Yeah, September. So I think they should be in the pipeline. And we should continue this conversation apart from exploring what other other options in influencing [01:05:30] the Pacific framework as well as we have the triennial meeting that's coming up in 2017 in Samoa. I think we also have the Pacific Feminist Forum. And you know, these are some of the spaces and platforms where we can engage. We don't have the capacity to write really compelling, uh, submissions. So that's why in the morning I was asking, you know, the Australian and New Zealand we had wanted it when it came out. I had written to all the PSDN board members [01:06:00] if we could put in a submission under the regional originalism project, uh, for us, uh, requesting to have LGBT Q I issues on the agenda. So that's where we will need support from Australia and New Zealand. And my my perspective is, if it comes from the Pacific, if it's driven and led by us, it might be more receptive for the Pacific Island Forum leaders to even consider. [01:06:30] Consider it different ways of framing this and being strategic about it. And because we have a lot of, you know, member networks in the region, we can also sort of, like, do a research of what are the positions of the current Pacific island leaders in terms of LGBT T. So we well, remember, if you were here this morning, remember my presentation that is specific. Um uh uh, plan for country level. This is exactly what I mean by my [01:07:00] my next transition I'm gonna do. I'm gonna lobby it from my own government's level, and I'm gonna report it directly to our leaders. Right when you hear this morning, that is exactly what I meant by my my own transition. So it's also very important to figure out, like, what are the current positions of the Pacific island in terms of LGBT issues? So we know who's for so we can use them as an entry point to influence the one who's not really progressive in terms of LGBT in the Pacific. And I think we have Fiji, baby. And you know some other countries [01:07:30] that we can work with the only ones. So I think it also it's very encouraging to see the support coming from the audience regarding this. Um, yeah, sorry, you can go. Can I just add another comment? Um, working with another education group in the Pacific that we were very careful to make sure that whilst the submission on an educational issue unrelated to this was compiled [01:08:00] from New Zealand and Australia, it went under the name of the Pacific territories because it was felt that that would would carry more clout because you're probably aware of some of the negative aspects that come from the forum with domination from Australia or New Zealand. So I just flaked out as an idea. And if you submit the paper, uh, by the due date it will be circulated to the other foreign ministers, which gives them a chance to peruse [01:08:30] over prior. So it's just a suggestion. It's a great suggestion. It's something that PSDN is going to be working towards making sure that there's a collective effort to push to ensure that human rights is on the the SPF agenda. So yeah. Great point. Thank you. Ok, um, if there's no other question, um, I would like to take this moment to thank you all, but with the last bit of [01:09:00] the session, I would like to show you, um, a message from the Pacific Trans LGBT community. Sorry. Um, and this was the free and equal launch that was held in Fiji last year. Hope you enjoy it. [01:09:30] And with that note, Mala obit. Thank you very much, ladies, gentlemen. And whatever gender you are, God bless and have a wonderful time. Lunch time, Yeah.
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