Bangkok, Thailand — December 5, 2024 — Iranti’s Trans Rights Program Officer, Sylvester Kazibwe, actively participated in the 15th Global AWID Conference, held in Bangkok from December 1-5, 2024. The conference, a significant event for feminist and human rights movements, featured a diverse range of discussions focused on gender justice and the rights of marginalized communities, including a two-day Global Trans Feminist Forum organized by the Asian Pacific Trans Network in collaboration with AWID.

The Trans Feminist Forum provided a critical platform for in-depth discussions surrounding anti-gender movements and the challenges faced by the transgender community. Participants engaged in thought-provoking dialogues about the future of the movement, identifying key sources of oppression. A key topic was the exploitation of religious supremacy in certain regions to perpetuate inequality, as well as the role of capitalist fundamentalism in prioritizing profit over people and the environment. The forum also explored the intersections of political fundamentalism, fascism, and the weaponization of law to suppress trans rights.

A major takeaway from the forum was the realization that anti-rights movements are driven by imperialism—a global force that strips trans people of their humanity and threatens their lives. The forum linked this imperialist agenda to widespread human rights violations in regions such as Palestine, Tigray, Sudan, Myanmar, and Lebanon, as well as environmental destruction in areas like the Congo. The discussion also highlighted the impact of these dynamics on Indigenous peoples in Aotearoa, Brazil, and Hawaii.

The forum concluded with a call for solidarity and collective action, focusing on the foundational principles of community and the importance of family bonds within the trans movement—bonds that have existed long before the imposition of colonialism and imperialism.

Following the forum, the main AWID conference kicked off on December 2, with Sylvester, a representative from Iranti, presenting at a panel titled “Resisting the Tide: Countering Anti-Gender Movements and Upholding Transgender and Gender Diverse Rights in Uganda.” Sylvester shared critical insights into the evolving tactics of anti-rights movements in Uganda, highlighting the ongoing struggles since the attempted passage of the homosexuality bill in 2010 and 2014. He also emphasized the resilience of Uganda’s trans community in continuing to organize despite state-led efforts to erase their existence and rights.

The 15th Global AWID Conference and the Trans Feminist Forum were powerful reminders of the global struggles faced by the trans community and the need for continued resistance against anti-rights and oppressive movements worldwide.