This study by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) examines laws and regulations that promote the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities or people with diverse sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) and discourage discrimination against them across a range of sectors, including education, labor markets, public services, social protection, and civil and political inclusion. It covers 17 countries: Armenia, Bhutan, Cambodia, Fiji, Georgia, the Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Nepal,
New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the People’s Republic of China, the Philippines, the Republic of
Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Viet Nam. It also provides a mapping of laws that provide
protections from SOGIESC-based hate crimes and conversion therapy practices, among other forms
of violence against sexual and gender minorities. Further, the study offers recommendations to
governments for legal and policy reforms to promote the inclusion of sexual and gender minorities and
improve their development outcomes. The study follows an established methodology of the World
Bank’s study, Equality of Opportunity for Sexual and Gender Minorities (EQOSOGI), through the use of
six indicator sets.
