The Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) is a regional coalition of MSM and HIV community-based organisations, the government sector, donors, technical experts and the UN system. The main purpose is advocating for political support and increases in investment and coverage of HIV services in Asia Pacific. APCOM promotes principles of good practice and lessons learnt by bringing together representatives from diverse groups in an effort to share experience, knowledge and expertise.
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Defining "MSM"

“Men who have sex with men” (MSM) is an inclusive public health term used to define the sexual behaviours of males having sex with other males, regardless of gender identity, motivation for engaging in sex or identification with any or no particular ‘community’. The words 'man' and 'sex' are interpreted differently in diverse cultures and societies as well as by the individuals involved. As a result, the term MSM covers a large variety of settings and contexts in which male to male sex takes place.

The Goals of APCOM

Increased investment: from governments, donors and civil society groups and communities in appropriate research and effective interventions for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for men who have sex with men and transgenders in the Asia Pacific region.

Scaled up programmatic, geographic and comprehensive coverage: of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support interventions for men who have sex with men and transgenders in the Asia Pacific.

Strengthen the evidence-base for advocacy, policy development, programming and reducing societal, legal, and institutional obstacles for the above.

Performer at World AIDS Day event in Kuala Lumpur

Participants from the Pacific at 200 Forum in Bali

Advocacy in Action

Legal environments can be barrier to equality for key affected populations in Asia and the Pacific region

For IDAHO 2012

(Bangkok) On this day, to commemorate the International Day Against Homo and Trans phobia (IDAHO), the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia-Pacific Regional Centre launch a series of policy briefs to provide a summary of how legal environments can actually be barriers to equality for men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people. A recent joint collaboration by APCOM and UNDP resulted in the ground-breaking study, Legal environments, human rights and HIV responses among men who sex with men and transgender people in Asia and the Pacific: An agenda for action, which looks at the impact of legal environments on HIV responses among MSM and transgender people in 48 countries and territories in Asia and the Pacific.

“APCOM is pleased to release these four papers today covering East Asia, Pacific, South Asia and Southeast Asia,” said Midnight Poonkasetwattana, Executive Director of APCOM, “The policy briefs highlight experiences that result in a range of negative consequences for example getting in the way of prevention work, reducing uptake and access to critical services, and increases in high-risk behaviours as well.”

The briefs detail the legality of male-to-male sex, punitive law enforcement practices, laws relating to discrimination, legality of transgender people and same sex relationships. For example, the legal environment in East Asia is generally more protective of human rights of MSM and transgender people, yet in the Pacific male-to-male sex is illegal in nine of the 24 countries and territories. Four countries in Southeast Asia (Brunei, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore) have criminal sanctions for consensual sex between adult men due to a laws keep on the books while each were under British colonial rule; in South Asia, however, in the National Capital Territory of India (Delhi) and Nepal, courts have taken decisions to decriminalise male to male sex between consenting adults.

“UNDP and APCOM recognise that urgent action is required as MSM and transgender people are critical populations in the response to HIV in Asia and the Pacific,” noted Edmund Settle, HIV Policy Specialist, UNDP Asia Pacific Regional Centre. “Legal environments comprise not just written laws, but also the actual practices of law enforcement and legal institutions with anecdotal evidence from the briefs demonstrating incidence of police harassment, blackmail, extortion and violence. Legal environments that are protective and empowering should be promoted.”

Some key recommendations to governments from the briefs include:

Repeal laws that criminalise sex between consenting adults
Halt police harassment, violence and selective enforcement of sex work, obscenity, vagrancy and other public order offences often employed against MSM and transgender people
Enact anti-discrimination laws in relation to sexual orientation and transgender status
Provide legal recognition of transgender people

The policy briefs can be accessed here:

East Asia. (PDF file)
Pacific. (PDF file)
South Asia. (PDF file)
Southeast Asia. (PDF file)

See the original media release on apcom.org. (PDF file)

APCOM calls on Malaysian police to lift the ban on the country's annual sexuality rights festival

The Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) is echoing the concern voiced by PT Foundation and other Malaysian LGBT activists over the blanket ban imposed by police on Seksualiti Merdeka (‘sexuality independence’), an annual festival held in the capital Kuala Lumpur.

This year's event was due to take place 1-13 November under the theme “Queer without Fear”, advocating for equal rights and human dignity for LGBT communities, with the participation of leading NGOs, artists and activists. However, police declared a ban on the event just as it was about to get underway, a move supported by some Islamic groups in this Muslim nation who say the event promotes homosexuality.

Event organizers and supporters point out that the event advocates for the rights and well-being of LGBT individuals, and is an important vehicle to raise HIV awareness and strengthen health-seeking behaviour in a country where the epidemic continues to spread among vulnerable populations including men who have sex with men.

APCOM calls upon Malaysian authorities to lift the ban which effectively contributes to the significant stigma and discrimination that continues to affect MSM and other vulnerable communities in Malaysia because of sexual orientation and gender identity. Stigma is a key driver of the HIV globally and regionally, lying at the heart of the challenge in tackling the epidemic. If Malaysian authorities are to address HIV effectively, and fulfill the country's global obligations in this regard, actions such as the ban on Seksuality Merdeka will significantly hinder, not help, these efforts.

Download the complete PDF of this APCOM Media Advisory, with contact information.

From the Governing Board

Evidence of the increasing HIV burden that MSM are carrying is finally coming to light, and is now beginning to influence policy making. At last, some governments, donors, and the UN system are taking leadership in scaling up effective responses. A window of opportunity exists in the region right now, and APCOM intends to make a concerted effort to ensure MSM are included in the drive for universal access.

Shivananda is the APCOM Chairperson and Chief Executive of Naz Foundation International and works from their Regional Office in Lucknow, India.

We, at Hivos, believe in the power of organisations like APCOM, in which a broad coalition works together to improve the situation of MSM and TG in Asia Pacific. We believe that the work APCOM is doing can bring the change that is needed and are proud to support and be part of this important and exciting process.

Paul is the Programme Officer for LGBT Rights and MSM-HIV for Hivos, an APCOM donor partner, and serves as a Donor Sector Representitive on the Board.