As APCOM Foundation celebrates its 19th anniversary, we are proud to release the 2025 Annual Update, “Holding the Line”, reflecting a year of resilience, solidarity, and community-led action across Asia and the Pacific.

The 2025 Annual Update comes at a pivotal moment for APCOM. The year marked the launch of RELENTLESS: APCOM’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030, setting a new strategic direction for the organisation and reaffirming its commitment to advancing rights, strengthening health responses, building stronger community organisations, and harnessing technology and innovation.

At the same time, 2025 brought significant challenges to LGBTQI+ communities and key populations across the region, including sudden funding cuts, political shifts, and shrinking civic spaces. APCOM responded by standing alongside affected communities, advocating for sustained HIV services and meaningful community participation, strengthening regional networks, and creating spaces for collective action.

Furthermore, 2025 was a defining year for APCOM, holding the line while building a more RELENTLESS future. Guided by RELENTLESS: APCOM’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030, APCOM strengthened its focus on advancing LGBTQI+ rights, ending HIV as a public health threat, building resilient communities, mobilising resources, and harnessing technology and innovation.

Across its programmes, APCOM turned these priorities into tangible results for communities. Through Supporting LGBTQI Rights in Asia: Connecting voices for LGBTQI socio-economic inclusion and human rights in Asia (GAC) Project, at least 10 LGBTQI+ organisations across five countries strengthened their governance, internal systems, and advocacy capacities, with partners reporting progress including legal registration, institutional growth, regional advocacy, organisational restructuring, and local government accreditation. The project also reached 100 participants from 50 LGBTQI+ organisations through national workshops and strengthened collaboration through national partnership-building meetings 

Through Sustainability of HIV Services for Key Populations in South-East Asia (SKPA-2) Project, APCOM strengthened regional capacity for community-led HIV responses and emerging issues such as chemsex. In Sri Lanka, APCOM supported the development of the country’s first-ever chemsex e-learning module and trained 20 peer trainers in harm reduction, HIV prevention, and facilitation, creating knowledge and skills that can continue to support communities and service providers.

APCOM also used its convening platforms to turn dialogue into action. The APCOM 6th Thailand LGBTQI+ Biz Forum 2025 brought together business leaders, policymakers, development partners, and community advocates to advance LGBTQI+ economic inclusion, highlight the value of inclusive workplaces, and identify priorities for stronger policy protections and cross-sector collaboration. The PrEPARING Asia Community Summit 2025 brought together 150+ participants from communities, governments, research, development, and the health sector, putting community leadership at the centre of discussions on the future of HIV prevention and outlining 10 priorities for action, including sustainable financing, integrated services, digital safeguards, regional collaboration, and protection of civic space.

Meanwhile, the 9th HERO Awards 2025 demonstrated the power of visibility and recognition to strengthen the movement. The event brought together representatives from 20 organisations and 12 countries, reached more than 1,000 viewers online, and, for the first time, introduced an auction component to generate fundraising support for APCOM. Beyond celebrating achievement, HERO continues to serve as a strategic platform for amplifying grassroots work, strengthening networks, and creating opportunities for partnerships and resources. 

Together, these efforts show what “Holding the Line” means for APCOM. It means standing with communities when resources are shrinking and political environments are changing. It means strengthening the organisations leading change, protecting access to health and HIV services, creating opportunities for communities to influence policy, and ensuring that their leadership is seen and heard. In 2025, APCOM did more than respond to uncertainty, we helped communities build the capacity, connections, and confidence to keep moving forward.

This is the foundation of a more RELENTLESS future: one where progress is protected, communities are resourced, and no one is left behind.

Highlights from our 2025 Annual Update

In 2025, APCOM launched RELENTLESS: APCOM’s Strategic Plan 2025–2030, setting a new direction for the organisation and reaffirming our commitment to social justice, human rights, health, community resilience, and innovation.

As priorities for the coming years, APCOM will focus on four fundamental areas of work to create a better, healthy, and dignified everyday life for people of diverse SOGIESC in Asia and the Pacific:

• Advancing towards an inclusive and non-discriminatory rights framework, for social and economic inclusion, which encompasses working towards decriminalisation of same-sex acts in the entire region.
• Ending HIV as a public health threat by strengthening the HIV response and increasing the access to broader, related, health services and facilities.
• To do so, we will work to increase the available funding for the community and make sure that these resources will reach the grassroots community in the most effective and efficient way possible. At the same time, we will strengthen the capacities of community organisations to be ready and resilient for the work that needs to be done.
• We will explore and pilot modern technologies, ICT, and AI innovations in order to deliver information and services in more efficient and cost-effective ways, increasing the availability and access for communities throughout the region.

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Through the Supporting LGBTQI Rights in Asia project, APCOM strengthened the organisational capacity, advocacy, and sustainability of LGBTQI+ and women-led organisations across five Southeast Asian countries.

• At least 10 LGBTQI+ organisations strengthened their internal systems, governance and advocacy capacities, with small grants addressing priority gaps in financial management, HR, safeguarding, whistleblowing, and project management.
• Sub-grants enabled LGBTQI+ organisations across all five countries to address priority organisational needs, strengthening their ability to sustain, adapt, and expand community-led work.
• Five national workshops reached 100 participants from 50 LGBTQI+ organisations, strengthening knowledge and practical skills in SOGIESC, gender equality, human rights, lobbying and advocacy, proposal development, and project management.
• 10 national partnership-building meetings strengthened collaboration and collective action, supporting strategic planning, legislative advocacy, networking, and digital capacity.
• Community partners adapted their advocacy approaches to diverse national contexts, from supporting local anti-discrimination policies in the Philippines and non-discrimination in health services in Thailand to advancing implementation of inclusive policies in Lao PDR.
• The project strengthened organisations’ ability to navigate political and operational risks, particularly in more restrictive environments, through safer, context-specific approaches to advocacy, engagement, and community mobilisation.
• The inclusion of women-led organisations strengthened an intersectional approach to LGBTQI+ rights, recognising the specific challenges faced by LGBTQI+ women and transgender communities and broadening the reach of community-led advocacy.
• Stronger networks and partnerships created a foundation for sustained advocacy beyond the project period, enabling organisations to share knowledge, respond collectively to emerging challenges, and continue engaging decision-makers.

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ADB Learning Week

APCOM continued to strengthen community engagement with development institutions through the 3rd ADB Learning Week in Manila, bringing together LGBTQI+ activists from across Asia and the Pacific.

• Convened 50 LGBTQI+ activists from across the region.
• Strengthened regional solidarity through collaboration with ILGA Asia, Intersex Asia, ASEAN SOGIE Caucus, and the Pacific Sexual and Gender Diversity Network.
• Provided a critical platform for civil society to engage ADB leadership on LGBTQI inclusion despite the Bank’s withdrawal from the event.
• Elevated community concerns regarding the removal of ADB’s Operational Approach to Sexual and Gender Minorities’ Inclusion (2025–2030) from public access.
• Advocated for accountability in the rollout of ADB’s new Environmental and Social Framework, which includes SOGI protections for the first time.
• Highlighted the need for ADB to maintain visibility and commitment, including its past practice of commemorating IDAHOBIT in partnership with APCOM.

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Decriminalisation Convening

APCOM convened a regional decriminalisation dialogue aligned with Zero Discrimination Day, reinforcing its regional leadership on legal reform.

• Hosted a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, amplifying the urgency of decriminalisation across Asia and the Pacific.
• Brought together eminent global and regional experts, including Prof. Vitit Muntarbhorn, Hon. Gyem Dorji, The Hon. Michael Kirby, and UNAIDS’ Eamonn Murphy.
• Highlighted the public‑health impact of criminalisation, particularly its role in hindering HIV prevention, PrEP access, and community‑led services.
• Elevated successful decriminalisation models from Bhutan, India, Singapore, and the Cook Islands as pathways for regional reform.
• Strengthened advocacy for strategic litigation, protective legislation, and public education to shift harmful social attitudes.
• Leveraged international frameworks (SDGs, ASEAN, Commonwealth) to push for accountability and legal reform.

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Through SKPA-2, APCOM strengthened regional capacity to respond to chemsex and HIV prevention, while advancing rights-based and community-centred approaches.

• APCOM and partners, including Mainline (Netherlands) and SCDI (Vietnam), conducted a pioneering series of chemsex-focused training in Sri Lanka in early 2024. Targeting government-based healthcare providers, outreach workers, and affected communities, the sessions built foundational knowledge on sexualized drug use while promoting rights-based, person-centered approaches.
• APCOM led the development of Sri Lanka’s first-ever chemsex e-learning module. Adapted from Mainline’s existing tool and translated into Sinhala and Tamil, the knowledge product strengthens local capacity while offering broader relevance as a digital resource across the Asia Pacific region.
• APCOM led the launching of Chemsex Training of Trainers in Sri Lanka. The ToT equipped 20 diverse peer trainers with practical knowledge on chemsex harm reduction, HIV prevention, and facilitation skills.
• APCOM led the design and delivery of quarterly newsletters and webinars and other core knowledge management tools that enhanced learning, collaboration, and visibility across the multi-country program. These knowledge tools highlighted lessons learned, success stories, emerging challenges and local innovations. 

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The CODE Strategies project advanced digital systems and community-led monitoring to strengthen access to HIV services and protect community rights.

• Strengthened digital infrastructure for community-led monitoring.
• The project conducted assessment of country partners organisational capacity on strategic communications, data management and operational capacity to implement mobile-based community-led monitoring.
• Identified the human rights indicators surrounding LGBTQI+’s access to HIV services that will be measured in the rollout of the mobile application.
• Analysed the Data Protection Laws in India, Indonesia, Nepal Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, and developed recommendations in improving country partners’ organisational capacity on data management.  
• KeyPop App advanced through quality assurance, feature refinement, and compliance updates, including GDPR and PDPA alignment. 

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The testBKK campaign, as the main inspiration for APCOM’s regional testXXX initiative, is a city-based HIV prevention and testing program targeting young gay men and other MSM in Bangkok. In the previous years, testXXX expanded to Manila (Philippines), Saigon (Vietnam), Jakarta (Indonesia), Yogyakarta (Indonesia), Hong Kong, Ulaanbaatar (Mongolia), and Vientiane (Lao PDR). 

• Expanded community-led HIV prevention and testing across Asia, building on the testBKK model and extending to Mumbai and Kathmandu in 2025.
• Reached more than 23,000 LGBTQI+ individuals with referrals for HIV testing and 10,000+ referrals to PrEP across India, Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
• Strengthened digital demand generation and community engagement, using online campaigns, influencers, social media, and community-led outreach to reach younger and harder-to-reach LGBTQI+ communities.
• Advanced person-centred care (PCC) by developing a regional PCC manual, training 14 community trainers, and converting the curriculum into accessible micro-learning e-modules.
• Strengthened local partnerships and systems, including reactivating Kathmandu’s multi-stakeholder task force and establishing three new MoUs in the Philippines.
• Promoted a more inclusive HIV service model, with a long-term focus on improving person-centred care for transgender people, MSM engaged in chemsex, and people who use and inject drugs.

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APCOM continued to strengthen community-led monitoring through digital innovation and rights-based data systems. 

• Rebuilt the KeyPop Mobile App for Android and iOS, reaching version 0.9 with internal quality assurance completed and over 70% of the CLM platform ready for launch. 
• Developed the admin dashboard, indicator framework, and GDPR-aligned data privacy and protocols, enabling safe and rights-based data collection. 
• Advanced iOS, Android, and PWA builds with major governance and compliance updates to meet Apple Developer Program requirements.
• Produced the first 112‑indicator dummy dataset, validating data‑flow assumptions and improving survey logic.

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Under the theme “Innovating Inclusion: New Frontiers in LGBTQI+ Business Leadership,” APCOM’s 6th Thailand LGBTQI+ Biz Forum brought together business leaders, policymakers, development partners, and community advocates to advance LGBTQI+ economic inclusion. 

• Convened six high-impact sessions featuring 14 distinguished speakers, advancing regional dialogue on LGBTQI+ economic inclusion and business leadership.
• Positioned the forum as a multi-sector platform for collaboration among business leaders, policymakers, development partners, and community advocates.
• Highlighted emerging trends in LGBTQI+ inclusive policies, emphasizing the economic cost of exclusion and the value of data-driven policymaking.
• Demonstrated the social and economic benefits of LGBTQI+ inclusion across key industries, calling for stronger government investment, cross-sector partnerships, and anti-discrimination protections.
• Identified critical policy reform priorities, including constitutional amendments, a Gender Recognition Act, and a comprehensive Anti-Discrimination Act with enforcement mechanisms.
• Showcased how businesses, government, and individuals can jointly drive social impact through inclusive practices, bridging profit and purpose.
• Shared practical tools for LGBTQI+-friendly workplaces, highlighting mental health support, open communication, and recognition of diversity champions as key drivers of employee well-being.
• Elevated the importance of pleasure, safety, and bodily autonomy as integral to inclusion, challenging stigma and cultural taboos.
• Featured eight community booths and vibrant performances, strengthening visibility, community engagement, and support for grassroots initiatives.

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APCOM Community Summit 2025: PrEPARING Asia

The APCOM Community Summit 2025: PrEPARING Asia brought together more than 150 participants to explore the future of HIV prevention amid rapid scientific advances and persistent inequalities.

• Brought together 150+ regional participants from communities, governments, research, development, and the health sector.
• Explored the future of HIV prevention amid rapid scientific advances and persistent social and structural barriers.
• Put communities at the center, highlighting the disproportionate challenges faced by young key populations, transgender people, sex workers, migrants, and crisis-affected communities.
• Promoted community-led approaches to improve service access, uptake, quality, and accountability.
• Advanced discussion on new prevention technologies, including long-acting injectable PrEP (CAB-LA), with a focus on equitable access and sustainable financing.
• Built a shared regional vision for HIV prevention grounded in choice, rights, sustainability, digital innovation, and community leadership.
• Outlined 10 priorities for action, including stronger policies, sustainable financing, integrated services, digital safeguards, regional collaboration, and protection of civic space.
• Reaffirmed that investing in and financing community systems is essential to sustaining progress toward ending AIDS in Asia and the Pacific.

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The 9th HERO Awards, held on 7 November 2025 under the theme “Celebration of Equality,” brought together community advocates, human rights leaders, artists, allies, and representatives from across Asia and the Pacific. The 2025 host is APCOM long-time supporter and ally, philanthropist  Mel Heifetz.

• Marked Thailand’s historic Marriage Equality milestone, celebrating Thailand as the first country in Southeast Asia to legalize marriage equality and recognizing the ongoing movement for LGBTQI+ rights across the region.
• Strengthened APCOM’s fundraising capacity: for the first time, the HERO Awards included an auction component that generated fundraising support for APCOM, demonstrating the event’s potential as both an advocacy and fundraising platform.
• Reached a broad regional audience, with 150+ participants attending in person and more than 1,000 viewers watching the livestream.
• Expanded regional representation, bringing together community representatives from 20 organizations and 12 countries, alongside diplomatic, corporate, entertainment, and LGBTQI+ community leaders.
• Recognized extraordinary contributions of individuals and organizations working to improve the lives of LGBTQI+ people and people affected by and living with HIV across Asia and the Pacific.
• Promoted greater diversity and inclusion through a new collaboration with the Association for Parents of Persons with Intellectual Disability of Thailand, making the event more inclusive and representative of diverse communities.
• Maintained HERO Awards as a unique regional platform despite operational and financial challenges, continuing to shine a spotlight on people and organizations advancing HIV and LGBTQI+ rights across Asia and the Pacific.
• Amplified grassroots movements beyond recognition: the HERO Awards serve as a strategic amplifier for community-led work, creating visibility, strengthening networks, opening opportunities for funding and partnerships, and increasing political and social leverage for communities across the region.

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