National Consulatation Meeting on MSM PLHA - Dec 12-14, 2004

[Guest guest]

NATIONAL CONSULTATION MEETING ON “MALES WHO HAVE SEX WITH MALES (MSM) LIVING WITH HIV IN INDIA” – DEC 12 – 14, 2004, NEW DELHI

Organized by: Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS (INP+),

Network of Indian People with Alternative Sexualities living with HIV/AIDS (NIPASHA+), and Social Welfare Association for Men (SWAM)

Supported by: USAID/Family Health International (FHI)

Background:

People with Alternative Sexualities living with HIV/AIDS have specific issues that are still need to be addressed in an appropriate manner both at the programmatic level and at the policy level. INP+ membership includes PLHA from different sexualities, socioeconomic class, and professions. Males who have sex with males (MSM) have been in the board of INP+ and its affiliated network organizations. However, it is felt that there is a need to better understand the issues of MSM living with HIV/AIDS so as to improve the services available to them at various levels including INP+. This was the reason behind organizing this national consultation meeting in collaboration with NIPASHA+.

Objectives:

The objectives of the national consultation meeting were:

To explore and document the various issues faced by MSM living with HIV/AIDS in India

To build a strong national network of sexual minorities living with HIV/AIDS in India and to link that network with INP+.

To increase the membership of MSM living with HIV/AIDS in the INP+ affiliated PLHA network organizations.

Summary of the meeting proceedings:

Various groups from different parts of India that are groups of MSM living with HIV or community organizations working with MSM living with HIV attended this meeting. These include: Social Welfare Association for Men (SWAM), Chennai; Udaan, Mumbai; Safe Sailors Club, Mumbai; Humsaaya, Mumbai; Positive Life, Delhi; Snehasudha, Andhra Pradesh; Nei [New] Zindagi, Goa; Allaigal, Chennai; and Spandana, Mysore.

On the first day (Dec 12), K.K.Abraham, President, INP+, and Vijay Nair, President, NIPASHA+, briefed the participants about the purpose behind organizing this consultation meeting. Shivananda Khan, NFI, shared the experiences in working with MSM living with HIV in Bangladesh. Dr. Venkatesan Chakrapani made a brief presentation of a study on needs assessment of MSM living with HIV in Chennai. In the afternoon, there were group discussions on the various issues faced by MSM living with HIV and representatives from those groups made presentations.

On the second day (Dec 13), there were group discussions to find out possible solutions for the various issues identified in the first day and recommendations were made to various stakeholders.

On the third day (Dec 14), there was discussion on the structure and governance of NIPASHA+, and election of new board members of NIPASHA+. In the afternoon, there was an interactive session with various supporters (FHI, UNAIDS, SHRC, VSO) to make them understand about the lack of appropriate programs for MSM living with HIV in India.

A full report about this national consultation meeting will soon be disseminated widely.

Report Summary by:

Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS (INP+)

& Network of Indian People with Alternative Sexualities living with HIV/AIDS (NIPASHA+)

For more details contact:

Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS (INP+)

inpplus@...

inpplus@...

Network of Indian People with Alternative Sexualities living with HIV/AIDS (NIPASHA+)

nipasha@...