Taya (she) is an informational coordinator of Ukrainian’s LGBTQ NGO Insight and the editor-in-chief of edutament website for young people about sexuality and gender update.com.ua. She is in activism for more then 10 years. Before she began working with NGO, she held positions from a journalist to a deputy editor-in-chief in major mass media of the country. The spectrum of skills and interests include: communication strategy for NGOs, informational campaign development, content creating and distribution
Shale (he) works with the Bangladeshi organisation Bandhu Social Society Welfare, which supports sexual health and welfare of sexual and gender minorities in the country. He brings expertise of working in an extremely difficult context and with muslim religious communities.
Sih-Cheng Du (he) is the Director of Policy Advocacy of Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association. He has a master’s degree in Sociology from National Taiwan University. He is also the Board Member of Persons with HIV/AIDS Rights Advocacy Association of Taiwan. Among many other achievements, he is one of the key members in the cross-organizational advocacy team for marriage equality in Taiwan, responsible for organizing large events, participating in legislature lobbying, mobilizing the community and connecting resources, which has lead Taiwan to become the first country in Asia to achieve Marriage Equality
Sanjay (he) has been a central activist to the Nepalese LGBTI Movement since 2003. He is currently the Program Director of Blue Diamond Society, Nepal’s largest non-governmental organization working for LGBT rights. He also founded the Federation of Sexual and Gender Minorities Nepal, which is the national network of all LGBTI rights organizations. His skills and expertise lie in running advocacy campaigns, organizing workshops and conferences, sensitizing and creating public awareness.
Ryan (he) is the current Regional Coordinator of the ASEAN SOGIE Caucus. He has been involved in LGBTIQ activism in the Philippines for more than a decade where he helped organized pride marches in Metro Manila and conducted human rights education with youth activists. He has worked with human rights and child rights organizations. His activism extends into the academe in his capacity as Senior Lecturer at the Department of International Studies of Miriam College in the Philippines where he teaches courses on gender, human rights and social research. He has co-authored publications focusing on children’s right to participation in ASEAN, human rights education, and migration and ICT. Ryan holds a Master of Arts in Human Rights degree obtained from Mahidol University, Thailand.
Rahman (he) is a human rights defender based in Bangladesh. With the expertise to use the digital and art medium as advocacy tools, he is working to sensitize the society on gender diversity and sexual orientation.
Phong Vuong (he) is the Deputy Program Director of the Institute for Studies of Society, Economy & Environment (iSEE). Along with his colleagues, Phong works closely with organizations on the ground, policymakers and the public to build resilient and capable communities, create knowledge and connect stakeholders to advance LGBTI rights in Vietnam through advocacy and social campaign. Some notable achievements include the legalization of legal gender recognition for transgender people, the subsequent drafting of the Law on Gender Affirmation (with the Ministry of Health), the I Do campaign towards Marriage Equality and the Leave with Pride campaign that successfully advocated for a directive banning conversion therapy in Vietnam.
Midnight (he) is the executive director of APCOM. Founded in 2007, APCOM is a coalition of members – governments, UN partners, non-profits and community based organisations – from Asia and the Pacific. It aims to advocate on, highlight and prioritise HIV issues that affect the lives of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people.
Mamikon (he) is an LGBTQ activist and a Human Rights Defender living and working in Armenia. He started his activism in 2002. In 2007 Mamikon and three friends founded PINK Armenia, the leading LGBTQ organization in the country. Currently the Executive Director of PINK Armenia, Mamikon advocates for LGBTQ community empowerment, human rights protections at national and international levels.
Mamikon holds a degree in sociology, and a Masters Degree in Human Rights and Democratization. He specializes in health, human rights, and gender issues. In 2017 he received a Bob Hepple Equality Award for his work in advancing LGBT rights in Armenia. Mamikon is also a board member of such prominent organizations as Human Rights House Yerevan and GALAS based in Los Angeles, and has been working for 20 years for LGBTQ people in Armenia and Diaspora.
Linh (she) is a Program Officer of ICS Center – an organisation working in promoting diversity and equality for LGBTI people in Vietnam. She has experience in organizing VietPride, the biggest annual event of LGBTI community nationwide. She is also a YSEALI alumni and a member of Vietnam LGBTQ Leadership Development program. Currently, Linh leads Work with Pride – the first initiative that promote Workplace Equality in Vietnam. She is raising participation of LGBTI community in governmental discussions of Labor Code Amendment. She also works in the task force to lead Equal Marriage movement in Vietnam.