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APCOM and the Asian Development Bank hosted the 3rd Asian Development Bank Learning Week in the Philippine capital of Manila from Sept. 8-9.
The meeting brought together LGBTQ and intersex activists, civil society organizations, and human rights defenders from Asia and the Pacific to engage with bank management on development that is LGBTQ and intersex-inclusive. The ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, ILGA Asia, Intersex Asia, and the Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network co-organized the event.
The bank’s presence and collaboration, however, was noticeably absent.
Although invitations had been extended and initially accepted, all bank staff who were scheduled to speak at the sessions — including representatives from the ADB NGO and Civil Society Center — withdrew at the last minute.
“It’s really unfortunate that we have this situation, but we understand if there is some trepidation to engage with the LGBTQI community given the changing geopolitical context and a dismaying pushback on rights across the spectrum. The LGBTQI community will continue its advocacy to demand accountability from the ADB to include us in its quest for a prosperous, inclusive, resilient, and sustainable Asia and the Pacific. That promise should include the LGBTQI community,” said Bambang Prayudi, executive director of Perkumpulan Suara Kita, an LGBTQ rights organization based in Indonesia. “The lessons of the past have clearly demonstrated that exclusion ultimately undermines and harms individuals, communities, and entire nations both socially and economically.”
The activists shifted from the originally planned sessions with ADB staff to engaging directly with bank board members, voicing concerns the withdrawal reflected a backtracking by an institution that had increasingly been progressive on LGBTQ and intersex-inclusion and engagement with LGBTQ and intersex communities. The move also raised questions about the bank’s commitment to its Strategy 2030, which aims to sustain efforts to eradicate extreme poverty and promote an inclusive Asia and Pacific.
APCOM, however, highlighted the bank last year approved a new Environmental and Social Framework that, for the first time, explicitly includes sexual orientation and gender identity in its definition of disadvantaged and vulnerable groups. The policy is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, with rollout efforts underway, including capacity-building for bank management and staff.
APCOM noted that while the move represents a significant step forward for the bank, its true impact will depend on consistent implementation and sustained, genuine engagement with the LGBTQ and intersex community.
Activists said bank management in December 2024 approved the Operational Approach to Sexual and Gender Minorities Inclusion: A Roadmap for 2025–2030, aimed at creating an environment in which people of diverse sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics are not only accepted but fully empowered. APCOM noted in a press release the bank has since removed the document from its website without explanation.
The press release said the sudden removal has left many LGBTQ and intersex activists uncertain about next steps because they were not consulted. The website removal raises questions about how firmly the bank will carry its commitment forward.
APCOM said activists met with several bank board members and requested the ADB return the document to its website. The press release also highlighted disappointment the bank this year did not commemorate the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia — the ADB has marked IDAHOBiT since 2019.
“ADB needs to have continued dialogue with the LGBTQI community and hold regular meetings with us if it seeks to implement policies that claim to benefit us,” said APCOM Executive Director Midnight Poonkasetwattana. “They have to remember: Nothing about us, without us. They cannot enact SOGIESC-inclusive policies without involving the LGBTQI community.”
LGBTQ and intersex activists who traveled to Manila, meanwhile, are urging the bank to uphold accountability in its stated commitments.
“More than policies on paper, our constituencies seek meaningful inclusion — to be consulted, engaged, and heard in the design, implementation, and monitoring of initiatives that affect their lives,” said Poonkasetwattana. “We sincerely hope ADB, whose policies are so crucial in setting an example for its member states and other stakeholders to follow, will stand strong in these challenging times and uphold principles of equality and social justice for all.”
The Washington Blade in 2022 reported then-Ambassador Chantale Wong, who was the ADB’s U.S. director during the Biden-Harris administration, pushed for sexual orientation and gender identity to be included in the bank’s safeguards.
The bank, which is based in the Philippines, seeks to promote economic and social development across Asia and the Pacific. Wong was the first openly lesbian U.S. ambassador in the U.S.
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