MSMGF's Top 10 Policy Developments for Gay Men and Other MSM in 2011

via MSMGF, by George Ayala, Jack Beck, Krista Lauer, Mohan Sundararaj

Dear all,

The year 2011 saw a number of events that changed the global landscape for advocates working on issues concerning HIV among men who have sex with men (MSM). From groundbreaking epidemiological research to the collapse of Global Fund Round 11, the past 12 months have brought valuable opportunities and daunting challenges. Taking stock of these developments is essential for strengthening our response to the epidemic and enhancing our advocacy for MSM health and human rights worldwide.

With this in mind, the MSMGF has released a new report highlighting the top ten policy developments of 2011. Entitled, “Top 10 in 2011: Key Global Policy Developments Concerning MSM & HIV,” the document details the successes and failures of the past year in an effort to help chart a course forward.
The document can be found on the MSMGF’s website at: http://www.msmgf.org/files/msmgf//Publications/TopTen_2011.pdf

We hope you find this document useful. We look forward to working together with you over the coming year to build the new victories of 2012, achieving a higher standard of health and human rights for MSM.

Sincerely,
The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF)

Read the full report here.


[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]

MSMGF Provides New Online Resources Detailing the Law's Effect on MSM Health and Human Rights

Global MSM network calls on policy makers, parliamentarians and advocates to address legal and policy barriers undermining Universal Access to HIV services

This World AIDS Day, as the United Nations Global Commission on HIV and the Law draws up its final recommendations, the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) urges national legislators around the world to review and repeal laws that undermine access to HIV services for gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM). To help illustrate the connection between HIV and the law for this key population, the MSMGF has launched a new collection of resources that features case studies, toolkits and never-before-seen video testimonials from grassroots MSM advocates in Uganda, Zimbabwe and Cameroon.

“From laws criminalizing homosexuality in more than 70 countries to laws punishing non-disclosure of one’s HIV status, punitive legal environments around the world prevent MSM from accessing life-saving services,” said Dr. George Ayala, Executive Officer of the MSMGF. “This is a major problem for the HIV response among MSM around the world, in countries rich and poor alike.”

The content of the archive was selected to make clear the connection between HIV and the law for this highly-impacted population, as well as provide grassroots organizations with tools to aid in legal advocacy for the health and human rights of MSM.

“Civil society has formed the backbone of the response to the HIV epidemic among MSM around the world, with local men rising up to care for their own communities where support from government and society is lacking or absent,” said Krista Lauer, Policy Associate at the MSMGF. “This archive is part of a larger effort to equip grassroots organizations with the information and resources they need to hold governments and multilateral institutions accountable for doing quality HIV work, including addressing harmful laws.”

The website features the MSMGF's Specialist Submission to the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, made public for the first time. Drawing upon focus group interviews, published research and other sources, the report makes five recommendations for law-based action that would have a game-changing impact on the HIV response for MSM:
1. Review and repeal laws that undermine the HIV response among MSM

2. Address the inappropriate enforcement of laws that hinder access to HIV services for MSM, through coordination, education and training with the judiciary and law enforcement officials

3. Establish laws that protect the health and rights of MSM, and bring perpetrators of violence and other human rights abuses against MSM to justice

4. Implement know-your-rights campaigns, and create enabling environments in which individuals can lay claim to their rights

5. Integrate the law as a core pillar in all National AIDS Reponses, and adopt a rights-based approach to the HIV response

“We know that laws and policies that uphold the human rights of gay men and facilitate their access to services are absolutely essential for an effective HIV response,” said Dr. Ayala. “But real action to transform legal environments has been bogged down by fear, stigma, and a lack of political will to take on the tough issues. Courageous activists have continued to raise their voices in this struggle, often at great personal expense to themselves and their families. We call on all Member States of the United Nations to heed the call of civil society, and recognize that the human rights movement is the HIV movement.”

The online archive can be accessed on the MSMGF’s website at http://www.msmgf.org/law.



[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]

New Report Shows Major AIDS Funders Fail to Track Investments for Gay Men and Transgender People

Via MSMGF.

A new report indicates that most major bilateral, multilateral and private philanthropic funders that focus on HIV do not consistently track their investments targeting men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender people. Produced by the Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF), the report also examines tracking of domestic government funding dedicated to these populations in all UN Member States, revealing that only 25% these countries recorded levels of HIV prevention spending for MSM in 2010 and no country tracked spending for transgender people.

“With overwhelming evidence for the need to prioritize MSM and transgender people in the global fight against AIDS, it is shocking that so few funders actually know how much money they are spending on these populations,” said Dr. George Ayala, Executive Officer of the MSMGF. “Funders often talk about the importance of investing in key affected populations, but budgets offer a clear reflection of what their priorities actually are. HIV investments must be accounted for in order to ensure that MSM and transgender people are getting the support they need.”

In the few countries that did track HIV prevention spending for MSM, the report indicates expenditures fell far below the amount required to achieve universal access. According to country reports made to the United Nations in 2010, an average of 2% of national HIV prevention budgets was dedicated to MSM in the 42 low- and middle-income countries that tracked spending for this population – $15.8 million in total. Nearly 75% of that sum came exclusively from international sources, highlighting the role of bilateral, multilateral and large private philanthropic funding in service provision for MSM in low- and middle-income countries.

The report follows a number of recent publications arguing in favor of targeted investments for most-at-risk populations like MSM and transgender people. In June of this year, the World Bank issued a report demonstrating that increased access to HIV prevention and treatment for MSM can change the trajectory of a national epidemic. That same month, the Lancet published a new global HIV investment framework that emphasizes the importance of targeted investments for key affected populations.

“After 30 years of diffused investment, the world is realizing that a focused approach is the only one that will work,” said Dr. Ayala. “It is time for funders to reflect that in their budgets and track their investments by population. Donor agencies must communicate and coordinate to ensure adequate coverage without duplication, and we must all aim for a higher level of accountability to the people we serve.”

Read the rest here.

[If an item is not written by an IRMA member, it should not be construed that IRMA has taken a position on the article's content, whether in support or in opposition.]