Recently Asia Pacific Coalition of Men Having Sex with Men or APCOM had asked me for small interview on World AIDS Day 2024. Below is my discussion with them.
Brief bio of yourself
Ali Raza Khan is a young HIV positive gay activist from Pakistan working for the community since 2015, focused on SRHR, HIV, AIDS prevention and peace. He has worked with multiple local, national & international organizations for the rights of people living with HIV, Men having sex with men and gays. As founder Pride Pakistan he is currently working for men having sex with men gay and other queer community in Pakistan. He is serving as member Communities’ delegation to the board of the Global Fund, member UNAIDS Advisory Group on Monitoring the 30-80-60 targets and co-lead partnership in The PACT. He is laureate HIV HERO Award 2021 by APCOM.
A quotation on the theme of this year’s WAD theme and what it means to you and your community
For me and my gay community, taking a right path is a path of decriminalizing men having sex with men and gay people in Pakistan. It is the only and one path that can help to eradicate new HIV infections and achieve UNAIDS 95 95 95 goal.
Please answer the following questions (try to stick to two paragraphs):
1 – What is the situation of people living with HIV in your country?
People living with HIV in Pakistan are facing enormous challenges due to slow progress towards reducing stigma and discrimination during treatment when visiting health care facilities. People from men having sex with men community and gay have to face it worse way as they have to get denial of treatments, discrimination from health care providers when accessing their HIV health care services. We hear on daily basis the special HIV clinics councilors rather than providing counseling on HIV treatment use derogatory remarks each time any HIV positive individual from MSM and gay community visit them. Due to denial of treatment to HIV community members I estimate hundreds of community members have died so far. Apart from this many other community members are unable to bear stigma and psychological torture from government health care facilities resulting in increase in lost to follow up.
It not only is coming from health care providers only but from work spaces, society and other day to day interactions. We are seeing even key population members held in prison being raped and killed. (1) It becomes more traumatizing for gay community and male sex workers that are unable to openly show their identities in public forums online due to torture and arrest from security agencies torturing gay people on online gay platforms and on ground.
On the other hand, there are increases in new HIV cases due to deteriorating health care system and pressure on healthcare facilities. Quack doctors also contributing into this along with societal practices. We see new and new outbreaks of HIV infections in general public. Such as a few days ago in Multan home town hospital dozens of kidney patients got HIV during negligence in dialysis treatment. (2)
The overall there is huge societal stigma and discrimination based on criminalizing laws all contributing towards increased cases of HIV infections in MSM and gay community. That is why I believe decriminalization of same sex and gay community is the only solution to curb the new HIV infections and achieve 95 95 95 targets.
2 – What and how are you/your organization doing to address these challenges?
We are working on empowering community by raising awareness around MSM & Gay community issues and providing capacity building trainings around their health and rights. We have been organizing focus groups discussions, safe space gathering and capacity building sessions benefiting thousands of people so far.
We are doing advocacy online and offline for the rights of men having sex with men and gay people. We are working with partners global to use diplomatic voice and influence to work around decriminalizing. It is important to bring the voice of gay community members on spotlight and in visibility that never gets highlighted despite the fact that MSM and gay people are one of the most vulnerable key populations.
3 – What support do you/your organization need?
With decreasing funding for community work and restrictions and crack down by authorities for organizations working for men having sex with men, gay and queer community it is becoming difficult for gay organizations to operate. Our organization is also struggling with sustainable funds for the running cost of our functions and salaries. Making most of our members working on volunteer basis. We need essential running cost to ensure uninterrupted work for our Pride Pakistan community.
4 – Anything else you wish to add?
I believe the work we are doing for capacity building and empowerment of men having sex with men and gay people is difficult with a lot of hurdles coming ahead on our way but we will continue to do so because that is the rights path. I wish one day other stakeholders and the government will also be able to take that rights path.
Read more on APCOM website Here:
Or on references Here:
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