Together for the First Time: amfAR MSM Consultation Addresses the Confluence of Rights and Health

December 21, 2010—Gathering more than 60 leaders from around the world in the fields of HIV and MSM, human rights, and LBGT rights, amfAR sponsored a landmark consultation December 16–17 addressing the integration of rights and health in the global fight against HIV/AIDS among men who have sex with men (MSM).

With the aim of identifying specific recommendations for the U.S. government’s global AIDS program as it nears completion of its first guidance document addressing MSM, the Washington, D.C., meeting opened with remarks by Ambassador Eric Goosby, head of the U.S. global AIDS program, PEPFAR. Presentations followed from a number of global experts, including Dr. Mandeep Dhaliwal from the United Nations Development Program, Mac-Darling Cobbinah of CEPEHRG in Ghana, Dr. Kenneth Mayer of the Fenway Institute in Boston, David Kuria of GALCK in Kenya, Richard Needle from the Office of the U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator, and Gift Trapence of CEDEP in Malawi.

Participants—including policy-makers, advocates, and activists from Brazil, France, Guyana, Senegal, Tajikistan, Thailand, the U.S., and many other countries—engaged in intense discussions over the course of the two-day meeting, at the end generating a series of specific policy recommendations to help advance the human rights and HIV health needs of MSM and transgenders.

• Full report of the consultation, including recommendations for leadership, management, and scale-up of programs.
  Click here to download. 

For more information, please click below for PDFs of presentations by participants. 

• Aditya Bondyopadhyay, International Lesbian and Gay Law Association. Advancing human rights within the context of HIV/AIDS service delivery (regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity).
  Click here to download
   
• Mac-Darling Cobbinah, Centre for Popular Education and Human Rights Ghana. Integration of HIV/AIDS prevention programs for MSM and trans in Africa—Why should everyone care?
  Click here to download 
    
• Dr. Dirceu Greco, Ministry of Health, Brazil. Advancing human rights within the context of HIV/AIDS service delivery: The Brazilian experience.
  Click here to download
   
• Dr. Kenneth Mayer, Fenway Institute, Boston. Comprehensive health for sexual and gender minority people: Caring for the whole person.
  Click here to download 
    
• Stephen Mills, Family Health International. Human rights-based HIV interventions for MSM in Vietnam.
  Click here to download 
    
• Richard Needle, PEPFAR. Overview of PEPFAR’s prevention activities for MSM.
  Click here to download 
    
• Andy Seale, The Global Fund. Global Fund Investments: MSM, transgender, and human rights.
  Click here to download