Elton John: New HIV fund makes ‘horribly clear’ how LGBT human rights abuses are a barrier to ending AIDS

Elton John at #IBMInterconnect

Elton John at #IBMInterconnect

Image by Blanca Stella Mejia

In its first few weeks the LGBT Rapid Response Fund, announced by Sir Elton John earlier this year and set up by the International HIV AIDS Alliance, received more than 235 applications from civil society organisations who provide HIV services, highlighting the need to respond to the daily threats faced by these populations.

The $4 million fund supports organisations working with LGBT in 29 countries in response to situations where HIV services are threatened because of stigma, discrimination or violence.

Grants from $500 to $20,000 are available from the fund which is supported by the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF), the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and UNAIDS.

Today (00:01 hrs 30 November 2016) the Alliance issues a report ‘Rapid Response: Breaking down the barriers preventing LGBT people and men who have sex with men from accessing HIV services’ detailing the fund’s work.

Sir Elton John said: “This work is badly needed. In a short space of time, the fund received more than 235 applications. Each request makes horribly clear just how much LGBT human rights abuses serve as a barrier to ending AIDS. Now more than ever it’s time for government leaders and philanthropists to join efforts to overcome the anti-LGBT stigma, discrimination and violence that is making the HIV epidemic worse.”

Shaun Mellors, Director Knowledge and Influence at the International HIV AIDS Alliance, said:

“Stigma, discrimination and violence mean that HIV services for LGBT people and men who have sex with men are regularly disrupted, targeted and prevented from operating. It is vital that support is available to small organisations whose HIV prevention and treatment services make a valuable contribution to the AIDS response and to members of the LGBT community. The Rapid Response Fund was set up to do just this.

“Today’s report highlights what’s been achieved in its first few weeks alone. It has helped re-house people living with HIV targeted after police raids in Uganda; supported homeless people from the LGBT community left without HIV medication and food as a result of a natural disaster in Jamaica; it has also supported LGBT groups that have come under threat as a result of state-sponsored political crackdowns in East Africa.

“In a world that is seeing a shrinking of the space available to civil society organisations, including organisations that work with LGBT people and MSM, this fund addresses a key humanitarian gap. We are committed to ensuring that LGBT people and MSM receive HIV services regardless of the threats they face from stigma, discrimination and violence.” 

The report includes case studies of real life situations the Rapid Response Fund is responding to, including:

  • Funding safe house accommodation to a transgender women living with HIV ‘outed’ on Ugandan social media after a police raid;
  • Support to a community group working with homeless LGBT people in Kingston, Jamaica after Hurricane Matthew;
  • A grant to prevent stock-outs of HIV medication at an organisation providing sexual health services to the MSM community in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo;
  • Relocation assistance in the wake of homophobic attacks, for an organisation providing counselling and psycho-social support to LGBT youth in Nairobi, Kenya; and
  • A grant for increased security measures at a Haitian LGBT organisation providing testing and prevention services in the wake of denunciations by a local politician.

ENDS

Notes

For more information, please contact:  Paul Hebden, Senior Advisor: Communications International HIV/AIDS Alliance, +44 (0)1273 718949 or + 44 (0)7590 358391 or email phebden@aidsalliance.org 

The International HIV/AIDS Alliance is a unique worldwide alliance of national civil society organisations dedicated to ending AIDS through community action. Our vision is a world without AIDS and our mission is to work with communities through local, national and global action on HIV, health and human rights www.aidsalliance.org

About the Elton John AIDS Foundation:

Since 1992, the Elton John AIDS Foundation has raised more than £260 million and supported over 1,500 projects across 23 countries: combatting stigma, preventing infections, providing treatment and services and motivating governments to end AIDS.  We believe AIDS can be beaten.  Visit www.ejaf.org and join us!  For further information please contact Murray Chalmers PR www.murraychalmers.com

 

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