Blog

In contexts where key populations are criminalized, those implementing key population programmes are often at risk of arrest and violence for their work. The risk is multiplied when implementers themselves are also members of key populations. In this IASONEVOICE, we diverge from our usual format to share personal stories that cannot be safely attributed to the individuals interviewed. These stories were shared with the IAS by the USAID- and PEPFAR-supported LINKAGES project. In our joint efforts...

By Chris Beyrer, IAS Past President Every year, in dozens of countries in every region of the world, people living with HIV are prosecuted for HIV non-disclosure, perceived HIV exposure or, in rare cases, allegedly knowing transmission of the virus. Some of these prosecutions are based on HIV-specific laws while others use general laws, such as assault and battery. Civil society advocates and public health experts have long decried these laws and prosecutions as a human rights violation: they ...

By Mercy Ngulube, IAS Member and youth activist I never thought I would ever live a life where I was an openly HIV-positive activist. However, if we are serious about addressing the HIV epidemic, we need to equip the next generation of activists to take on the battles that must be won. If we are being truthful, young activists lack economic empowerment. Asking young people to add value, use their time and skills in return for "exposure" is no longer good enough. Allowing young people to take o...

By Anton Pozniak and Brenda Crabtree, IAS 2019 Co-chairs Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in the Latin American and Caribbean region are striding forward, with Mexico leading on many fronts. Since August 2010, Mexico City has legalized same-sex marriage and many states in the country are also moving forward with this. More recently, the law for fundamental spousal rights is also being recognized as applying to same-sex couples. Just a decade ago, however, this would have bee...

This week the five IAS Youth Champions joined more than 200 delegates at the PATA 2018 Youth Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. To wrap-up the three-day event, the Youth Champions are sharing some of their favourite quotes and moments from the week. The power of partnerships "We must partner for meaningful youth participation. We are behind on targets and there are persistent challenges. There are structural barriers of stigma, discrimination, consent and access to sexual and reproductive heal...

In this special interactive interview, Nduku Kilonzo, IAS Member and Executive Director of the National AIDS Control Council of Kenya, highlights the key factors that make young people, particularly women and girls, vulnerable to HIV and how to address those challenges. "HIV prevention and care are really two sides of the same coin. New infections among adolescents, especially young women, are on the rise in sub-Saharan Africa, and we must address the societal causes of these vulnerabilities.”...

The HIV Research for Prevention conference (HIVR4P 2018) brought more than 1,400 attendees to Madrid, including researchers, policy makers and advocates from 50 countries. Here's a wrap-up of the key themes in HIV prevention and vaccine research. More signposts on the road to a vaccine The journey of discovery toward an effective HIV vaccine may be longer than many imagined, but the consensus this week is that there are now more signposts than ever to guide the way. HIVR4P included a wealth of...