About us
Legal Dignity is a human rights organisation that promotes and defends
non-discriminatory access to justice for LGBTQI+ persons in Malaysia.
Discover our mission, dedicated team, and collaborative approach towards advocating for human rights.
Discover our mission, dedicated team, and collaborative approach towards advocating for human rights.
Our Vision
We envisage a future in which all individuals can meaningfully belong, actively contribute, and appreciate their whole humanity in all its diversity and individuality.
Our Mission
Meaningful Access
We promote fair, equal, and meaningful access to justice for all LGBTIQ+ people
Equity
We advocate for just and equitable international laws, policies, and practices for LGBTIQ+ people
Amplifying Voices
We amplify LGBTIQ+ voices and prioritize their freedoms as outlined by international human rights standards
Safe Platform
We create diverse and inclusive spaces that better reflect how our world looks like
Our Values
Diversity
We celebrate what makes us different and have no tolerance for discrimination
Integrity
We uphold professionalism, honesty, and fairness in everything we do; we believe that effective legal services are essential to put the needs of our community first
Passion
We are driven by our passion for equality and commitment to human rights
Pillars of Work
Impact Ligitation
We offer legal counsel and representation on issues impacting the lives, dignity, and liberties of LGBTIQ+ individuals.
Advocacy
We advocate for law and public policy reforms at the local, state, & federal levels to ensure LGBTIQ+ individuals are protected and able to live freely and fully as themselves.
Legal Education for the public
We educate and train the public about LGBTIQ+ advocacy and their legal and constitutional rights.
Our Team
Andi she/her
Andi is the Founding Director of Legal Dignity, a human rights organisation advancing non-discriminatory access to justice for LGBTQI+ persons in Malaysia. Her work is rooted in gender equality, religious pluralism, and the defence of fundamental liberties.
She is also the co-founder of Jurnal Sang Pemula, a collective of young writers challenging the status quo and amplifying social justice narratives. From 2022 to 2023, Andi served on the International Advisory Committee of the Power of Pride Alliance, and in 2023, she completed the Summer School on SOGI and International Law at Leiden University.
At Legal Dignity, she has led numerous community-driven projects, capacity-building initiatives, and grassroots knowledge efforts, focusing on legal literacy. Andi remains deeply inspired by community work, which keeps her grounded and fuels her long-term commitment to justice and liberation.
Umyra she/her
Umyra is a feminist with extensive experience in international and regional advocacy and human rights education on gender and sexuality. She has routinely supported grassroots and national organising in using UN human rights mechanisms to demand for state accountability.
She co-founded Garabtaag, a mutual aid collective in Kuala Lumpur that supports refugees in accessing essential needs, and supports queer organising in her own capacity.
Mutalib he/him
Mutalib is an Administrative Executive with 9 years’ experience in office management, event coordination, and process optimization. Currently supporting Legal Dignity (Part-Time Admin), he handles documentation and daily office logistics with precision.
Previously, he streamlined procurement systems, executed large-scale events, and enhanced customer service efficiency in roles across industries. Mutalib holds a degree in Development Planning and Management (UNIMAS) and is pursuing a Master Degree in Human Resource Management (UUM). Known for his adaptability and meticulous approach, he thrives in dynamic environments requiring multitasking and stakeholder collaboration.
Athirah she/her
Athirah currently supports the organisation part-time through administrative and financial work.
Advisory Committee Members
Samantha
Samantha Chong is a human rights advocate with a diverse career spanning both public and private sectors. She graduated with a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Malaya in 2009 and began her career as a deputy public prosecutor before transitioning to private practice. While in private practice, Samantha was deeply involved in legal aid and human rights cases.
She was the Press Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Department before joining RSPO as Human Rights & Social Standards Manager focusing on community rights such as indigenous land rights, women’s rights and child labour. Currently, she is an advisor to the Drug Policy Program Malaysia and a partner at Messrs Loh Poh Seng & Co, Advocates & Solicitors
Azzad
Azzad is an educator, healing arts practitioner, and multidisciplinary artist. He co-founded Empathy For Youth Academy in 2020 to support youth and marginalized communities through SEL and psychoeducational programs across Southeast Asia. With a background in TESL and performing arts, he integrates mindfulness and Buddhist psychology into his work.
A Vipassana practitioner and NVC advocate, he also appears on the “Talk To You Later” podcast (Empathy For Youth segment). Azzad works between Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, and Bali.
Michelle
Michelle Yesudas is a litigator and international human rights advocate with over a decade of experience across Southeast Asia. Admitted to the Malaysian Bar in 2013, she has defended human rights defenders in landmark cases on police brutality and freedom of expression, helping to shape jurisprudence on sedition, unlawful assembly, and lese-majeste laws. Some of the notable cases that she has litigated include the landmark cases of government liability for police brutality in the fatal shooting cases of Aminulrasyid Amzah and the Glenmarie 6.
She has also supported the public interest litigation for the rights of transgender women from the state of Negeri Sembilan. Until May 2025, she served as founding Director of Queer Legal Futures, Outright International’s flagship program on global LGBTIQ legal reform, served as the focal point for the International Commission of Jurist’s the law reform and human rights program for working with lawyers and LGBTIQ rights program from 2018-2021.
She has also worked in Amnesty International and Humanity and Inclusion on advocacy and policy reform on various issues from the death penalty to disability and disarmament. Her writing appears in the Oxford Handbook of LGBTI Law, academic journals, and major human rights reports She holds a Master’s in International Development Law and Human Rights from Warwick.
Ishita
Ishita is a feminist activist. Her professional experiences over the last 12-years span frontline defence of human rights at the local and national levels, regional and international advocacy for women’s rights and grant-making.