Eldis News Feed

  1. Islam, sexual diversity and access to health services

    16:07 on 16th May 2013

    This discussion paper examines why Islam matters in prevention efforts for HIV, what Islam and Muslim scholars say about MSM and transgender people, as well as how this impacts on the lives of MSM and transgender people and their access to health services.

    While Islam allows for difference of opinion, and the religious leaders disagree on many social issues, most orthodox Muslim scholars are vehemently opposed to homosexuality. However there are many progressive Muslim scholars with varied positive opinions about gender and sexual orientation. This discussion paper urges human rights organisations and policy makers to create a database of progressive religious leaders and lobby for their support.

    The discussion paper includes 13 key recommendations for consideration of human rights organisations and defenders, gender activist and policy makers, including:

    • develop an understanding that it is necessary, when working on MSM and transgender issues in countries where there is a Muslim context, to incorporate a theological approach in their work
    • use positive religious text in media (TV, radio, blogs, publications) to oppose harsh orthodox approaches that are not respectful of human rights and choice of lifestyle
    • provide training to relevant stakeholders, including health service  providers, on how to best work with MSM and transgender people  within a Muslim context
    • develop programmes for Muslim religious leaders on HIV and MSM to influence and encourage positive messaging during Friday congregational prayers
    • develop strategies to reach those who are not openly MSM so that they can be empowered with research and Islamic information on sexual orientation and gender through training and educational programmes.

  2. Re-strategizing the MSM Response: Data for Action

    10:02 on 15th May 2013
    As the epidemic rises in the Asia Pacific region, the UNAIDS Data Hub have prepared the following presentation providing an overview of the issues, commitments and areas for action. The regional profile presents data collated from published sources in the Asia-Pacific region according to the five areas: - HIV prevalence and epidemiological status - Vulnerability and HIV knowledge - Risk behaviours - Socio-economic impact of the epidemic and National response. The data sources include Epidemiological fact sheets, Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Behavioural Surveillance Survey (BSS), United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) Report, AIDS Indicator Surveys (AIS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and others.

  3. Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting 2013: Construction of Core Indicators for Monitoring the 2011 UN Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS.

    10:02 on 15th May 2013
    The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to national AIDS programmes and partners actively involved in the country response to AIDS on use of core indicators to measure and report on the national response.

  4. Emerging HIV Risk in Papua New Guinea.

    10:02 on 15th May 2013
    PNG’s HIV epidemic is predominately driven through heterosexual transmission. That said, other modes of transmission observed include vertical transmission and male-to-male sex. A few sporadic cases of HIV have been diagnosed whereby the mode of transmission has been reported as tattooing and injecting drug use. The data on those who have been diagnosed with HIV as a result of injecting drug use is sparse. It is unclear for example if such people are indeed ethnic Papua New Guineans or if in the case of expatriates the virus was contracted via injecting drug use practices outside of PNG. There have been other anecdotal, but unverified, reports of injecting drug use occurring in PNG and concern has been raised over this being a possible route of transmission that with the potential of contributing to the epidemic.

  5. Funding Scientific Innovation: Global Investments in HIV Treatment Research and Development in 2010 and 2011

    10:03 on 14th May 2013
    Development of new, simpler, more effective and affordable compounds will continue to be essential for attaining the goal of putting at least 15 million people on ART by 2015, as set forth in the 2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS. To this end, pharmaceutical industry leaders moved seven compounds into phase III studies in 2010 and 2011, and seven compounds into phase II. The focus of development is on compounds that can be taken as a single pill once daily, thus simplifying treatment, improving adherence, and reducing the risk of stockout-induced resistance to individual drugs.

  6. Investing In Communities Achieves Results: Findings from an Evaluation of Community Responses to HIV and AIDS

    10:03 on 14th May 2013
    Before the scale-up of the international response to the AIDS pandemic, community responses in developing countries played a crucial role in providing services and care for those affected. This study is the first comprehensive, mixed-method evaluation of the impact of that response. The evaluation finds that community response can be effective at increasing knowledge of HIV, promoting social empowerment, increasing access to and use of HIV services, and even decreasing HIV incidence, all through the effective mobilization of limited resources. By effectively engaging with this powerful community structure, future HIV and AIDS programs can ensure that communities continue to contribute to the global response to HIV and AIDS.

  7. Setting the scene: assessing and planning with harm reduction partners

    17:24 on 9th May 2013
    Community Action on Harm Reduction (CAHR) is an project spanning China, India, Indonesia, Kenya and Malaysia that aims to expand coverage to more than 230,000 people who inject drugs, their partners and children, with a wide range of services (HIV prevention, treatment and care, sexual and reproductive health and other services) by 2014.

    This report summarises the results of site assessments on HIV and drug use in China, India, Indonesia, Kenya and Malaysia, and describes the assessment and planning tools that were used. The assessments were that were conducted by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance and their teams of experts in four technical areas: HIV prevention services for people who inject drugs; HIV and drug-related policy and environment; organisational development issues; and monitoring and evaluation of interventions.

    The report concludes that the CAHR project implementation benefited considerably from the assessment process and the success of using the tool also created potential for its further use in other contexts. The assessment team was able to capture unique and insightful information, much of which was rapidly translated into action points and implementation plans within CAHR, as well as broader strategic recommendations. Furthermore, conducting the assessment exercise allowed the teams to develop a technical support plan spanning the CAHR project timeframe and focusing on the most challenging areas identified during the assessment.

  8. Creating space: common issues, lessons learnt and ways forward for people involved in the development of LGBTI organisations

    09:02 on 29th March 2013
    Over the years, the many people involved in this sector have gathered an enormous wealth of implicit knowledge on how these organisations work, how they relate to each other and how they develop themselves. This publication captures some of their practices and will make their organisational lessons learnt more explicit. Making these lessons more accessible will support practitioners who are involved in one way or another in the development of LGBTI organisations, whether they be activists, funders, capacity enhancers, networkers, programmers, lobbyists or whichever other role or combinations of roles. After reading (parts of) this publication, the reader will hopefully feel inspired, enlightened, challenged, disturbed or motivated. Any of these feelings, in combination with the lessons learnt and the tips and tricks in this publication, will hopefully trigger further positive change in the LGBTI entity, organisation or movement in or with which they are involved.

  9. Top 10 in 2011: Key Global Policy Developments Concerning MSM & HIV

    09:02 on 29th March 2013
    Inside this report, you will find a snapshot summary of the top 10 key policy developments over the past year that relate to the HIV response among gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) worldwide. Ranked by the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF), the list includes both successes and setbacks in the global effort to achieve Universal Access for all. Taking stock of these developments is essential for evolving our response to the HIV epidemic among MSM, strengthening community mobilization efforts on the ground, and sharpening our global advocacy efforts. The list also includes events that were not direct policy developments in and of themselves but carry significant policy implications. This page summarizes the developments contained in the report.

  10. Fundraising Toolkit A Resource for HIV-Related Community-Based Projects Serving Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and Transgender Individuals in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

    09:02 on 29th March 2013
    This guide was developed by amfAR’s MSM Initiative to provide fundraising assistance to community-based organizations (CBOs) that provide HIV-related programs and services for gay men, transgender individuals, and other men who sex with men (MSM) in low- and middle-income countries. In this guide, a number of key questions are answered: • Which donors are funding MSM and other lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community- based organizations? • Which donors are funding projects in particular geographic areas? • What kinds of grants are these donors making? • What kinds of programs and projects are being funded by these grants? • Whom do I contact and how does my organization apply for funding? The guide offers information about who is funding MSM/LGBT groups, snapshots of what those grant programs look like, how to approach funders, and what projects those grant makers have supported in the past.