Organization: Rainbow Disability Nepal
Region: Asia and the Pacific Islands
Nationality: Nepal
Country: Nepal
Interests & expertise: Community leadership
Profession or occupation: Advocate/activist
What inspires you to work in the HIV field?
I believe in humanity, inclusion and equity in SRHR services. NGOS, international NGOS and other organizations do not cover or talk about disability and living with HIV or queer people with disability and living with HIV. This is new to human rights activists and society.
My experience working as an LGBTI activist has shown the immense challenges faced by the queer HIV population. Now, I am sharing my experience and expertise on disability and HIV and queer disability HIV. Being the first person to take on this subject is challenging and daunting. There are no data or surveys conducted. We do not find any reports or projects on this subject; there is a large area to discover. I want to make a difference in society’s perception of the disability community.
What are your goals as an IAS change maker?
My goals as an IAS change maker are to develop community-driven initiatives that dismantle HIV stigma towards disability and living with HIV. As a fine arts student and social worker, I aim to bring change through awareness and sensitization among the disability community and LGBTI community.
I am collaborating with international and national organizations, local activists and healthcare professionals, and I aim to build sustainable platforms for education and conversation. Hetero-disability and living with HIV is a unique subject for the community. I am raising my voice to bring this issue into the mainstream.