Suara Kita In The Regional Inception Meeting in Bali

My name is Teguh Iman Affandi. I have worked with Suara Kita for seven years. Suara Kita in an LGBTIQ organization in Indonesia which  advocating LGBT rights. In order to mainstream LGBTIQ rights, Suara Kita is developing sexual diversity discourse. Therefore, its main activities are organizing public lecture with University, improving knowledge and skills of LGBTIQ community, campaigning, publishing books, producing videos. Since 2014, Suara Kita also helps LGBTIQ individuals who are disowned by their family, runaway from their family, or faced violence and discrimination. 

One of direct impacts  from LGBTIQ marginalization is  poverty among them. In Indonesia, many transgenders  live in poor conditions.  They have difficulty to access education or health services, so these difficulties limit their opportunityfor achieving economic empowerment. Meanwhile, gays and lesbians are also vulnerable from poverty  especially when they decide to come out.  They are vulnerable from  being boycotted. Thus, in my opinion, Finance Inc is a good initiative to influence bank and other financialinstitutions to make sure that there are no one left behind

Fortunately, I have opportunity to represent my organization in the inception meeting held in Bali lastOctober 2018. For me it is a meaningful meeting because I met other organizations who also work for LGBTIQ rights in  Phillipines, Laos, and Cambodia. The meeting has opened my eye about the struggle that my fellow  LGBTIQ have to deal with. Some of the challenges are frustating, but there  are also many hopes that emerge from the meeting. 

The third mission of Suara Kita  is to develop networks in order to produce a policy that accommodate LGBTIQ rights.  Hence, in my view, Finance Inc will help Suara Kita  to expand their networks in order to fullfill the mission. I hope after project, there are lesson learned that we can take  to leverage our skill to impose regulation that protect LGBTIQ rights. 

Teguh Iman Affandi