by Michael Clark One of the hot new areas of the sociological aspects of HIV surround stigma and ways to reduce it as an individual or a community. I attended multiple sessions reviewing data from research projects around the world. From sex workers in Dominican Republic to the recently diagnosed in Lesotho, there is demand for evidence-based intervention strategies that …
Jumping Hurdles with Adolescents: We Need More Than Just an HIV Test
Published: July 22, 2016
by Niluka Perera Reaching adolescents remains a paramount challenge in the HIV response, may they be perinatally infected with HIV or are from key populations. The number one killer of adolescents living with HIV in Africa is AIDS. More than 95% of all new HIV infections among young people in Asia and Pacific occur among adolescents of key populations. Young …
Video: Gay Serviceman Erased from Military, Sex Workers Talk Shop, and Gay Activists are Cruising
Published: July 21, 2016
by Mark S. King www.MyFabulousDisease.com Twitter @MyFabDisease Somewhere Elizabeth Taylor is grinning from ear to ear. Her grandchildren have not only become HIV activists in their own right, but they dove right into an HIV criminalization demonstration that took over the main stage at AIDS2016 in Durban, South Africa. In my latest video from the global event, I chat with …
Donor Cuts for Global HIV Investments Imperil Programming for Key Populations
Published: July 21, 2016
Durban, South Africa – MSMGF attended Tuesday a press conference to address the findings of a new Kaiser Family Foundation/UNAIDS report presenting alarming data that 13 of 14 donor governments reduced funding in 2014-2015 for AIDS investments in low- and middle-income countries. Chris Beyrer of the International AIDS Society noted this reduction in funding is expected to fall particularly hard …
Political Will to Leave Key Populations Behind
Published: July 20, 2016
By Niluka Perera It’s 2016, 35 years in to the HIV response and we are still repeating the same rhetoric over and over again. In a satellite session organized by the PEPFAR titled “ Leaving no one behind; How to bring key populations HIV services to scale” the rhetoric on breaking the silence, ending AIDS by 2030 and holding the …
Young People’s Leadership in Ending AIDS and Achieving Universal and Reproductive Sexual Health Rights by 2030
Published: July 20, 2016
by Charlie Tredway There is a lot about this session that I adored and that moved me immensely so I will start with what went right. This session was organized by and lead by 52 Young People from 15 different countries who banded together to creatively share challenges and perspectives on making sure that their views and their vision was …
Engagement Tour of Denis Hurley Center
Published: July 20, 2016
by Michael Clark On Monday July 18, I went with 5 others to volunteer and tour the Denis Hurley Centre in downtown Durban. The inter-faith soup kitchen, HIV clinic and training center serves the needs of the poorest of the poor in Durban, many of whom are refugees, drug addicts and/or sexual minorities. Serving hearty meals six days a week, …
We Have Yet to Understand the Needs of Young MSM
Published: July 20, 2016
By Niluka Perera It’s bad enough that gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men are left behind in the HIV response despite a very clear story that is being told by the available data. However it is even more disheartening to see young gay and bisexual men and other young men who have sex …
Aids Still Kills: Treatment for All. Marching in Solidarity
Published: July 20, 2016
By Niluka Perera It was my first time joining a march at an AIDS conference and it was overwhelming. Over 8000 activists from South Africa and around the world took to the road and marched to the International Convention Center from King Dinuzulu park yesterday 18th July on the first day of the 21st International AIDS Conference in Durban. The …
No More Lip Service: A Demand for PrEP Access from the Transgender Community
Published: July 20, 2016
No More Lip Service: A Demand for PrEP Access from the Transgender Community By Brian Kanyemba For the first time ever, the program for the International AIDS Conference has included a pre-conference focused on transgender people called No More Lip service: Trans Access, Equity and Rights, Now! The program brought together global trans people and activists from Peru, Malaysia, Thailand, …
PrEP Around the World: What are the Next Steps on PrEP Provision to the MSM Community?
Published: July 20, 2016
by Brian Kanyemba The MSMGF AIDS 2016 Pre-Conference Action+ Access: Rights and Demands of Gay and Bisexual Men in the Global HIV Response in Durban, South Africa came at a very import time in the discussions around PrEP roll out among MSM in different communities and countries globally. Different presenters in different sessions expounded their discussion around PrEP focusing from …