Building the Human Rights Conference
Sydney WorldPride is working with several community partners to help ensure that the diversity of the LGBTQIA+ communities is reflected at the conference.
The Community Partners will listen and engage with national and international LGBTQIA+ community organisations to ensure the content of the Sydney WorldPride 2023 Human Rights Conference reflects key issues of concern and that the conference provides a space to progress work that produces meaningful next steps in the fight for equality.
Our consultation with community ran from December 2021 until April 2022. It consisted of an online survey supplemented by stakeholder workshops, to gauge and report on views about what would make the Human Rights Conference engaging and empowering for our communities, including themes, topics, speakers and experience. Download a copy of the What We Heard report as a PDF or Word document.
Community Partners
ACON
Through its inclusion programs Pride in Diversity, Pride in Sport and Pride in Health and Wellbeing, ACON brings together and supports over 400 of Australia’s largest employers, sporting organisations, and health and wellbeing service providers with all aspects of LGBTI inclusion.
AFAO
AFAO is the national peak organisation for Australia’s community HIV response, working in the Asia Pacific region to champion awareness, understanding and proactivity around HIV prevention, education, support and research through advocacy, policy and health promotion.
APCOM
APCOM is a leading Asia Pacific non-profit organisation working with community-based organisations across 35 countries in the region on Education & Innovation, Advocacy & Research, and Community Engagement & Empowerment. They highlight and prioritise issues that affect the lives of people regarding their sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics.
BLAQ
Established as a collective response to the identified need for strengthened visibility of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQ+ community, BlaQ is a network of sharing, support and connection elevating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQ+ mob across Australia.
Equality Australia
Australia’s leading LGBTQIA+ legal and human rights organisation dedicated to achieving equality for LGBTQIA+ people and their families.
IHRA
Intersex Human Rights Australia is a national body by and for people with intersex variations, promoting human rights, self-determination and bodily autonomy of intersex people in Australia.
LGBTIQ+ Health Australia
National peak health organisation in Australia for organisations and individuals that provide health-related programs, services and research supporting LGBTIQ+ people and communities.
Questions and Answers
A great way to be part of the Human Rights Conference or other Sydney WorldPride events is to volunteer. To find out more head to the Volunteers page.
We will undertake engagement with our community, and based on feedback a draft list of topics will be presented in early 2022. We will then work with organisations, leaders and speakers to finalise the focus and style of the sessions.
The Community Partners include representatives from Australia and Asia, including organisations with extensive global networks. LGBTIQIA+ and human rights organisations operating internationally will be included as part of an International Conference Advisory Group, which includes:
Ryan Joseph Figueiredo – Equal Asia Foundation
Dr Martin Blais – University of Quebec
Dr Brenda Alegre – Hong Kong University
Ruth Baldachinno Astraea – Lesbian Foundation of Justice
Dr Yvette Abrahams – Lesbian human rights activist, environmentalist
Zhan Chiam – TGEU (Transgender Europe)
Kevin Haunui – Tiwhanawhana Trust
Matt Beard – AllOut
Lana Woolf – EdgeEffect
Graeme Reid – Human Rights Watch
Sjödin – Outright International
Kihmali Powell – Rainbow Railroad Canada
We want the Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference to reach everyone, which is why we will have a range of opportunities for virtual as well as face-to-face participation.
A portion of the conference agenda will be reserved for community members who wish to present their work, share their insights and participate in the forum proceedings. Expressions of interest in presenting will be announced in the second half of 2022 – please subscribe to the mailing list here to keep up-to-date.
The Community Partners will listen and engage with national and international LGBTQIA+ community organisations to ensure the content of the SWP 2023 Human Rights Conference reflects key issues of concern and that the conference provides a space to progress work that produces meaningful next steps in the fight for equality.
The Human Rights conference community partners include many of Australia’s most respected LGBTQIA+ organisations:
• AFAO (Australian Federation of Aids Organisations) – Australia’s leading organisation working to end transmission of HIV and support responses to HIV in Asia and the Pacific.
• LHA (LGBTIQ+ Health Australia) - National Peak organisation for health-related programs and research supporting LGBTQIA+ communities.
• BlaQ Aboriginal Corporation – Network of sharing and support for LGBTIQ+ Mob.
• ACON (including Pride in Diversity, Pride in Sport and Pride in Health and Wellbeing) bringing together over 400 of Australians largest employers, sporting organisations, and Health and wellbeing service providers.
• Equality Australia – Australia’s leading LGBTQIA+ Law and Legal Advocacy group
• APCOM Foundation – leading Asia Pacific non-profit organisation working with community-based organisations across 35 countries in the region on Education & Innovation, Advocacy & Research, and Community Engagement & Empowerment, highlight and prioritise issues that affect the lives of people regarding their sexual orientation, gender identity, expression, and sex characteristics.
• Intersex Human Rights Australia – a national body by and for people with intersex variations, promoting the human rights, self-determination and bodily autonomy of intersex people in Australia.
• Tuisina Ymania Brown – Samoan Fa’afafine and trans woman of colour. Co-Secretary General of ILGA world, Advisory board member for Copenhagen WorldPride 2021 and former co-chair of International Trans Fund.
• Paige Burton - Director, Civic and Cultural Engagement at the Foundation for Young Australians. Former Vice President of People with Disability Australia. Former Operations Manager at Australian Progress.
Sydney WorldPride undertook a public tender to seek the assistance of LGBTQIA+ human rights subject matter experts with conference curation and community engagement experience. Six of Australasia’s leading LGBTQIA+ human rights and health organisations proposed a community partner model which was reviewed by a panel including representatives from InterPride and the SWP/SGLMG First Nations Advisory Committee. The tender proposal was put to the SWP Board and accepted.
