For All Women and Girls: Rhadem Musawah on advancing LGBTIQ+ rights and inclusion across the Philippines

#ForAllWomenAndGirls is a rallying call for action on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action (BPfA). Rhadem Musawah, a queer Muslim human rights advocate from the Philippines, is ensuring that lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other (LGBTIQ+) individuals, women and Indigenous communities are not left behind in peacebuilding, humanitarian response and human rights advocacy. Through his leadership in grass-roots organizing, policy lobbying and humanitarian aid, Musawah is advancing legal protections, promoting inclusion and creating safer spaces for marginalized groups across the country, including those in conflict-affected areas.

Advancing equality in a conflict-affected region

Growing up in Zamboanga City and Basilan Province in Mindanao, throughout decades of armed conflict and displacement, Musawah witnessed first-hand the struggles of marginalized communities. “We grew up with bombings, corruption and human rights violations all around us. But even within that, LGBTIQ+ people were often the most vulnerable, unseen and unheard in humanitarian responses and peace processes,” he says.

Although Musawah’s work today extends across the entire country, his early experiences in Mindanao continue to shape his advocacy. As a queer Muslim advocate, he has dedicated his career to supporting those at the intersections of discrimination, whether based on gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity or religion.

His efforts have focused on addressing violence against LGBTIQ+ people in regions where conflict and conservatism intersect. In one instance, Musawah recalls his organization - Mujer LGBT+ Organisation - providing emergency assistance to a group of LGBTIQ+ youth injured in a grenade attack during a volleyball game and to the relatives of those who got killed because of their sexual orientation, gender identity, gender experession and sex characteristics (SOGIESC) in other regions. “These are not isolated incidents. They happen too often, and with little accountability.”

Musawah, through Mujer LGBT+ Organisation, has been delivering legal aid, shelter and psychosocial support to survivors of gender-based violence in Mindanao. He also engages local government units, security forces and social welfare offices to ensure coordinated protection for LGBTIQ+ communities. He also led the creation of the first comprehensive LGBTIQ+ legal guidebook for civil society organisations in the Philippines (Justice with PRIDE). In the absense of a SOGIESC equality bill, it provides guidance to help communities on discrimination, illegal arrest, physical violence, inaccess to government services, and other issues.

Intersectionality at the heart of humanitarian and climate action

Musawah’s approach to advocacy is rooted in intersectionality, recognizing that overlapping systems of discrimination affect different communities in unique ways. During the COVID-19 pandemic, his organization created emergency shelters and delivered relief to LGBTIQ+ people who lost their livelihoods. He also assisted in helping Indigenous sea-dwelling Sama Bajau communities in Tawi-Tawi, through his engagement with local government units and UN agencies. The Sama Bajau communities’ livelihoods are being destroyed by ocean pollution and the effects of climate change. As fish stocks diminish, women have turned to seaweed farming, only to face exploitation by middlemen and discrimination when they migrate inland for work.

“Climate change isn’t just an environmental issue,” he says. “It’s a human rights issue. And women, Indigenous Peoples, and LGBTIQ+ communities are disproportionately affected.”For Musawah, true inclusion requires systemic change, whether in disaster response, governance or political participation. In 2024, his organization partnered with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council to train responders on LGBTIQ+ inclusion in evacuation plans and relief efforts. “We wanted to ensure that during typhoons, earthquakes, or other disasters, LGBTIQ+ people are not left out,” he explains.

Creating space for every voice to be heard

Over the past two decades, Musawah’s organization has helped pass five local anti-discrimination ordinances across Mindanao, one of them the first in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in predominantly Muslim Mindanao, a ground-breaking achievement.

“People told us it couldn’t be done,” Musawah recalls. “But we proved otherwise, with the help of allies and communities who believed in change. While I’ve had the privilege of leading many of these efforts, the successes we've achieved would not have been possible without the unwavering dedication and hard work of my team and our volunteers. These are the result of collective passion, resilience, and collaboration. I deeply value the trust and perseverance of our allies and those working tirelessly with me on the ground. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them, and it’s important to me that their contributions are equally recognized and honored.”

His advocacy aligns with the Beijing Platform’s focus on ending violence, ensuring access to justice and promoting inclusive governance. Yet, Musawah emphasizes that much work remains, particularly at the national level, where a comprehensive anti-discrimination bill has been stalled for over 20 years.

For Musawah, the BPfA agenda resonates deeply. “We cannot talk about gender equality without including LGBTIQ+ people, Indigenous women, and others whose voices are often silenced. It’s not enough to be resilient. We need rights, policies and protections that ensure dignity and equality,” he says.