APRFF2018 Statement in honour of the Global Day of Parents
Hong Kong, 1st June 2018 – This joint statement was developed over the course of the 2018 Asia-Pacific Rainbow Families Forum (APRFF2018), held from May 11th – May 13th, 2018 in Hong Kong, by Asia and Pacific community organisations, allies and independent advocates.
APRFF2018 have chosen to release this statement to coincide with the United Nations Global Day of Parents, a day observed on the 1st June every year since the adoption of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) resolution A/RES/66/292. Based on Article 16 of the Universal Human Rights Declaration (UDHR), it honours parents throughout the world for their selfless commitment to children and their lifelong sacrifice towards nurturing this relationship.
Brilliant to see this @free_equal #intersex active allyship and vital message for #ParentsDay #IntersexAlly #StandUp4HumanRights https://t.co/UxfKiDXFl2
— Planet Ally (@PlanetAllyApp) June 3, 2018
On 27th April 2011, the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (UN CESCR) stated that “The forms of families have changed and will continue to change. Therefore, we encounter very different family forms today. This is not surprising against the background of the economic, cultural and political changes, but rather a normal part of the continuous change of society in general.”
Check out our #APRFF2018 Statement in honour of @UN Global Day of Parents and we have something to sing about with @JoleenDeflir Our #APRFF2020 will be in July in #Tonga hosted by #TongaLeitis and organised by @IFED_LGBT #BeingLGBTI #ParentsDay https://t.co/j7kl2PSVeR pic.twitter.com/eUkCta5YLX
— Planet Ally (@PlanetAllyApp) June 1, 2018
This is our disruption, this is us pushing back, this is us being visible. It’s about your truths and speaking about your #rainbowfamilies @ymania @ginssogie @ILGAWORLD #APRFF2018 #BeingLGBT #LGBTIDataConf2018
— Planet Ally (@PlanetAllyApp) May 11, 2018
Today is an occasion to remember that families remain at the centre of social life ensuring the well-being of their members, educating and socialising children and youth, and caring for young and old. In particular, family-oriented policies can contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, specifically Goals 1 – 5 relating to:
overcoming poverty and hunger;
ensuring healthy lives;
promoting well-being for all ages;
ensuring educational opportunities throughout a person’s lifespan; and
achieving gender equality.
Rainbow Families are families headed by LGBTIQ+ or SOGIESC identifying adults, with children, or those seeking and planning to have children.
Launch NGO International Family Equality Day (IFED) : @MariaVonKaenel: I want to warmly welcome in particular – a special though to those who can’t be here or have to remain hidden to protect their and their families’ security. IFED is there es for you: https://t.co/cYuXNkTunl pic.twitter.com/K6xPgJXiAC
— IFED (@IFED_LGBT) May 5, 2018
@IFED_LGBT Press Release: In a successful event hosted by @VilleDeGeneve , the new NGO “International Family Equality Day” was officially launched: https://t.co/z4WWkrvRzA pic.twitter.com/MBZuTmisUB
— IFED (@IFED_LGBT) May 4, 2018
On May 3rd, 2018 at the official launch of International Equality Day in Geneva, Bess Hepworth affirmed that “indisputable to anyone, is the undeniable fact that the family is the most important system within human society for children. We know that children don’t fear diversity, variation or difference, in fact, they celebrate it until they are taught not to.”
All Transgender persons panel shared their fight against transphobia. #APRFF2018 pic.twitter.com/AUpIkhT8T0
— msmagicx (@msmagicx) May 11, 2018
Powerful story from #Russia @rulgbtnet delegate about a lesbian couple that drive down different roads in the morning for fear of being seen and ask their daughter to not acknowledge one of them as their Mum #APRFF2018 pic.twitter.com/cGRskbRgHk
— Planet Ally (@PlanetAllyApp) May 11, 2018
#IFED2018 #APRFF2018 It’s crucial for us to create safe spaces and invest in human rights and community building. Pakistans progess in the transgender rights movement as been a result of the tireless activism done nationally by various individuals and NGOs. pic.twitter.com/pkGDCOZ38l
— IFED (@IFED_LGBT) May 12, 2018
d. Other specific social and health supports needed by Rainbow Families within the SOGIESC community context.
f. Develop policies that ensure adequate representation for Rainbow families and vulnerable groups in governance and leadership roles, to foster peaceful and inclusive societies, in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) n°16
We support the idea that as the centre of humanity’s social life, families are the bedrock of any functioning society. The family unit acts to protect, nurture and support children, help children to avoid poverty and hunger, promote the health and well-being of all members, and reciprocally supports strong communities and society.
.@bess_hepworth joined our #TurnItOff campaign to tell the stories of lesbian mothers from Australia, Fiji and Pakistan, reflecting on how the negativity they experience impacts on their rainbow families. https://t.co/Wp21wsDCu4 (?: Brent Pottinger) pic.twitter.com/ldO7SZboWk
— ILGA (@ILGAWORLD) May 20, 2018
@bess_hepworth : «In international spaces we know that political discussions come up concerning the family. We see that often discussions around trying to include “diversity of family forms” wording are hotly contested https://t.co/igzX8rhSn0 pic.twitter.com/GJ5k1ulX4q
— IFED (@IFED_LGBT) May 31, 2018
#IFED2018 #APRFF2018 @ymania „Cultural co parenting is the norm in Samoa, a country which accepts Fa‘afafine & Fa‘atama who adopt & raise children“ Tulaimalo Tuulua:“I‘m both a father & a mother for my children“ pic.twitter.com/gDt6senpfv
— IFED (@IFED_LGBT) May 11, 2018

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For more information, please contact bess@planetally.org
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This APRFF2018 Statement is Signed By the Following Advocates and Organisations:
Shadi Amin – 6Rang
Ymania Brown – Pacific Human Rights Initiative and GIN-SSOGIE
Daria Buss – Russian LGBT Network
Florence Chan – Planet Ally
Ging Cristobal, OutRight Action International
Marty W. Forth – Rainbow Families of Hong Kong, Planet Ally and University of Hong Kong School of Social Work
Ledovskikh Evgeny – Russian LGBT Network
Forum for Dignity Initiatives
Kelsey Hadjirul – DAKILA Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism
Bess Hepworth – Planet Ally and International Family Equality Day
Toni Kruger-Ayebazibwe – GIN-SSOGIE
Victoria Petitjean – GIN-SSOGIE
Jay Lin- Taiwan – Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy
Amao Leota Lu – Public Speaker, Performer and Fa’afafine activist
Celine Martin – Destination Justice
Jason Masters – Uniting Network (NSW/ACT) within the Uniting Church of Australia NSW/ACT Synod
Joleen Mataele – Tonga Leitis Association
Kumiko Matsumoto – Nijiiro-Kazoku (Rainbow Family Japan)
Sushant Naidu – Inspire Spiritual Communities and GIN-SSOGIE
Kakay Pamaran – Metropolitan Community Church of the Quad Cities (MCCQC), GIN-SSOGIE
Matcha Phornin – Sangsan Anakot Yawachon and International Family Equality Day
Cha Roque – DAKILA Philippine Collective for Modern Heroism and CherryRed Films
Tiara Tu’ulua – Samoa Rainbow Families
Jac Tomlins, Founder – OUTspoken Families and Rainbow Families Australia
Maria von Känel – International Family Equality Day
Maivon Wahid – International Family Equality Day
Woody Wang – Taiwan LGBT Family Rights Advocacy
Lana Woolf – Sparking Change and Edge Effect
Mitch Yusof – SEED and Asia-Pacific Transgender Network
Lini Zurlia – ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, Indonesia
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