ILGA World Conference 2014 : YIFoS be Representative of Indonesia

Ola from Mexico Peacemaker!

Last Year, Youth Interfaith Forum on Sexuality (YIFoS) got opportunities to be able participate two biggest event of The International Lesbian, Bisexual, Gay, Trans, and Intersex Association (ILGA) World. YIFoS National Coordinator got the scholarship to attend the ILGA World Conference that held in Mexico City from 27 until 31 October 2014; and also get invited to the Women Leadership Training that held before the conference in Morelos, Mexico.

Do you know about ILGA? ILGA is a worldwide federation of 1100 member organizations from 110 countries campaigning for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex rights. It’s established since 1978. The vision of ILGA is of a world where all human rights of all are respected and where everyone can live in equality and freedom; a world where global justice and equity are assured and established regardless of the people’s sexual orientations, gender identities, gender expressions and sex (intersex).

As federation, the ILGA World Conference become the most important decision-making body of ILGA, in relation to its internal operations, approval of new members, adoption of important issues and campaigns for our local and global agendas, the work plan to follow and the internal and external definition of the organization. That’s way the world conference which takes place every two years and adopts the strategic plan and elects the two co-secretaries general, the women, the trans and [from 2014] the intersex secretariats, who sit on the executive board together with two representatives for each region elected at their respective regional conferences. The executive board approves the annual operational plans implementing the strategic objectives and other relevant policies.

In 2014, Decolonizing Your Body becomes the theme of the world conference. The symbol of the Conference, Tlazoltéotl, is a Huasteca goddess representing transformation, lust, sins and filth; we have chosen her for her transgressiveness, a force to empower us to transform the world. Please do visit www.ilgaworldconference.org for more information about ILGA World Conference 2014.

Meanwhile, the Women Leadership Training is routine program that organized by ILGA Women Secretariat before the world conference to make sure the women participation in level of decision making. Overall the training is looking to strengthen leadership of women from feminism as an ideology, social change strategy, framework for analysis and daily practices; for the recognition and guarantee of human rights of LGBTI people in the world. The last training in 2012 was held in Stockholms, several days before ILGA World Conference. This year, the training was held in 23 until 26 October 2014 and it brought wonderful and great women leaders from South Africa, Botswana, Egypt, Mongolia, China, Thailand, Hongkong, Jamaica, Peru, Puerto Rico, Amsterdam, Mexico and of course Indonesia.

Reporter : Vica Krisilia Larasati