Anan Bouapha

Lao PDR

Anan Bouapha is an internationally renowned human rights leader, and the founder of Laos’ first LGBTQI rights organisation. As the founder of Proud To Be Us Laos, Anan is dedicated to promoting equal rights for people within sexual and gender diversity communities. He is referred to by the HuffingtonPost as the leader of the country’s nascent LGBTQI movement. He is working to integrate LGBTQI rights into national development, tackling the cultural, legal and normative barriers facing the community. His work started in HIV/AIDS prevention, and has evolved to encompass broad political and policy advocacy across the field of inclusive development, leveraging international human rights frameworks. He brings the concept of diversity and inclusion at the workplace and continues raising awareness about this in Laos. Several major employers such as state enterprises, corporates, private enterprises collaborate and promote this concept alongside with his organisation’s advocacy campaign. Because of this, Proud To Be Us Laos was ranked in the Top 9 World LGBT Change Heroes by The Guardian.