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Asia Regional Consultation on MSM HIV/AIDS Care and Support
27-Jul-2010
21-Jul-2010
16-Jul-2010
An HIV epidemic is ready to emerge in the Philippines
22-Apr-2010
18-Jun-2010
HIV Prevention with MSM: Balancing Evidence with Rights-based Principles of Practice
14-Jun-2010
This website was developed with support from UNAIDS RST - Asia Pacific.
About APCOM
The Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) is a regional coalition of MSM and HIV community-based organisations, the government sector, donors, technical experts and the UN system. The main purpose is advocating for political support and increases in investment and coverage of HIV services in Asia Pacific. APCOM promotes principles of good practice and lessons learnt by bringing together representatives from diverse groups in an effort to share experience, knowledge and expertise.
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Defining "MSM"
“Men who have sex with men” (MSM) is an inclusive public health term used to define the sexual behaviours of males having sex with other males, regardless of gender identity, motivation for engaging in sex or identification with any or no particular ‘community’. The words 'man' and 'sex' are interpreted differently in diverse cultures and societies as well as by the individuals involved. As a result, the term MSM covers a large variety of settings and contexts in which male to male sex takes place.
The Goals of APCOM
Increased investment: from governments, donors and civil society groups and communities in appropriate research and effective interventions for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for men who have sex with men and transgenders in the Asia Pacific region.
Scaled up programmatic, geographic and comprehensive coverage: of HIV prevention, treatment, care and support interventions for men who have sex with men and transgenders in the Asia Pacific.
Strengthen the evidence-base for advocacy, policy development, programming and reducing societal, legal, and institutional obstacles for the above.
Advocacy in Action
Final report now available!
Punitive and discriminatory laws limit access to HIV prevention and care services for men having sex with men in Asia Pacific
From UNDP (in Vienna - 21 July 2010)
Both punitive and protective laws, policies and practices impact comprehensive HIV responses
(Vienna) Some 19 of 48 countries in the Asia Pacific region continue to criminalize male-to-male sex, and these laws often taken on the force of vigilantism, frequently leading to abuse and human rights violations. Correspondingly, HIV prevalence has reached alarming levels among men who have sex with men and transgender populations in many countries of the region. If countries fail to address the legal and human rights context of HIV, this already critical situation is likely to become worse. The implementation of effective, national HIV responses requires governments to consider and address the effects of laws and law enforcement practices on the health of men who have sex with men and transgender people.
This warning came as a key finding in the report entitled Legal environments, human rights and HIV responses among men who have sex with men and transgender people in Asia and the Pacific: An agenda for action. Commissioned by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM), this report and its key findings were presented during the session on Criminalizing Homosexual Behaviour: Human Rights Violation and Obstacles to Effective HIV/AIDS Prevention at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna.
The study found that a range of laws, such as public order and vagrancy offences, are selectively enforced against men who have sex with men and transgender people in many countries of the region. Even in the absence of criminalization, the arbitrary and inappropriate enforcement of other legal provisions often violate the rights of men who have sex with men and transgender persons, thereby obstructing advocacy, outreach, and delivery of HIV and health services. This is among the issues that were at the heart of the 2009 landmark ruling by the Delhi High Court that Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code unfairly discriminates against men who have sex with men.
The Vienna Declaration
The criminalisation of illicit drug users is fuelling the HIV epidemic and has resulted in overwhelmingly negative health and social consequences. A full policy reorientation is needed.
The Vienna Declaration is a scientific statement seeking to improve community health and safety by calling for the incorporation of scientific evidence into illicit drug policies. More than 13,917 people – including Nobel laureates and leaders in science, medicine and public policy – have signed the declaration since it was launched three weeks ago [as of 26 July 2010]. The Declaration was published in the Lancet medical journal to coincide with AIDS 2010.
Organisers will be delivering the Vienna Declaration with the full list of endorsements to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, sending a clear message that the international community demands evidence based drug policy. Help strengthen the message by signing the declaration or sharing it with your networks today.
The Vienna Declaration calls on governments and international organizations to take a number of steps, including:
- Undertake a transparent review the effectiveness of current drug policies;
- Implement and evaluate a science-based public health approach to address the harms stemming from illicit drug use;
- Scale up evidence-based drug dependence treatment options;
- Abolish ineffective compulsory drug treatment centres that violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; and
- Unequivocally endorse and scale up funding for the drug treatment and harm reduction measures endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations.
The declaration also calls for the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs in developing, monitoring and implementing services and policies that affect their lives.
The document, the official declaration of the XVIII International AIDS Conference, was drafted by a team of international experts and initiated by several of the world’s leading HIV and drug policy scientific bodies: the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, the International AIDS Society and the International Centre for Science in Drug Policy.
Links to APCOM activities at ICAAPIX in Bali
The Asia Pacific Coalition on Male Sexual Health (APCOM) conducted a full-day forum on August 8, 2009 on the unique challenges posed by HIV infection among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgenders (TG) in the region. The interactive consultation was an official pre-conference activity of the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAPIX) in Bali, Indonesia. APCOM coordinated and participated in many additional activities during and around the international consultation.
Links to stories about each activity, including all presentations and some key speeches, can be found by clicking here or on the 200 Forum logo (see right).
From the Governing Board
Evidence of the increasing HIV burden that MSM are carrying is finally
coming to light, and is now beginning to influence policy making. At last,
some governments, donors, and the UN system are taking leadership in scaling
up effective responses. A window of opportunity exists in the region right
now, and APCOM intends to make a concerted effort to ensure MSM are included
in the drive for universal access.
Shivananda is the APCOM Chairperson and Chief Executive of Naz Foundation International and works from their Regional Office in Lucknow, India.
Due to language barriers, many Chinese groups cannot access international support. APCOM provides a platform to share experiences with others and keeps the Chinese MSM community up to date on issues. APCOM also can help reach out to the Chinese government, providing a good mechanism to aid decision making. My burden is heavy, I know, to work behalf of Chinese MSM as it is such a huge population but APCOM will help me to be successful in playing this important bridging role.
Zhen Li is the APCOM Community Representitive for China, co-founder of Beijing Gender Health Education Institute (BGGEI) and is now coordinator of the Civil Society Program of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) in China.
We, at Hivos, believe in the power of organisations like APCOM, in which a broad coalition works together to improve the situation of MSM and TG in Asia Pacific. We believe that the work APCOM is doing can bring the change that is needed and are proud to support and be part of this important and exciting process.
Paul is the Programme Officer for LGBT Rights and MSM-HIV for Hivos, an APCOM donor partner, and serves as a Donor Sector Representitive on the Board.