Ms Martine Somda Dakuyo was 34 years old when she was diagnosed with HIV. The news, which she describes as traumatic, suddenly shattered all the hopes and plans of this mother of four. "I suffered a lot from the fear of dying prematurely and in deplorable conditions," she says. Despite a deep sense of anger and injustice, she finally came to terms with her status and even went public in the media to encourage people living with HIV to accept themselves and get help.

Today, with her treatments controlling her viral load and keeping her healthy, Martine can look forward to a happy and productive life. She is one of the pioneers in the fight against AIDS in Burkina Faso, having fought for nearly 29 years with the NGO Responsabilité Espoir Vie Solidarité (REVS+). This association, of which she is the initiator and President of the Board of Directors, works for the prevention of HIV, the care of people exposed to the virus and the promotion of their human rights.

"The fight against AIDS in West and Central Africa remains a health emergency," says Ms Somda. Although the HIV prevalence rate is 0.7% in Burkina Faso, Ms Somda asks us about the situation of key populations, who are more exposed to the dangers of HIV, and the reasons that lead to this sad reality. In particular, she mentions the political and security context in the region, proposed laws that discriminate against key populations and the low involvement of people affected by HIV in the fight against AIDS as obstacles to effective care.

In order to protect key populations from the dangers of HIV, Martine’s ambition is to provide universal access to prevention methods, which are a crucial aspect of the fight against AIDS.

"Focusing on effective access to health and rights for people in situations of social rejection and criminalisation is the challenge for the fight against AIDS," she says.

In order to achieve universal access to prevention, care and follow-up services, Ms Somda advocates, among other things, greater involvement of people affected by HIV in the development of national AIDS strategies, better recognition of actions carried out on the ground and the elimination of social and economic inequalities that fuel the epidemic.

In addition, Martine expressed concern about conservatism and cultural, religious and traditional pressures that lead to stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.  This discrimination manifests itself in various forms; through verbal or physical attacks, threats, harassment, arbitrary arrests, she observes. Such behaviour is dangerous and represents a major obstacle to the fight against AIDS, as it discourages people living with HIV from seeking appropriate services. There is an urgent need to stop such violence in order to create a climate where the rights of people living with HIV are respected and protected. Establishing a more inclusive discourse, free of discriminatory and erroneous prejudices, will allow for a more effective response guided by values of respect, integrity and equality.

With this in mind, in 2015 REVS+ set up workshops and training for decision-makers, religious and customary leaders, health professionals, police and the media. The aim of these activities is above all to denounce stereotypes about people living with HIV and to put an end to discrimination.

"The contribution of community services to the response to HIV is well known and proven, as they complement the services offered by the public health system," explains Ms Somda. Ensuring the continuity of their activities and allowing the greatest number of people to benefit from them, is a necessity for effectively combating AIDS in the region. The resilience of networks such as REVS+, which ensured that prevention activities and care services for people affected by HIV were maintained, was one of the reasons why the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on people living with HIV was minimised.

Finally, to ensure the effectiveness of the fight against AIDS in the region, and more specifically in Burkina Faso, Ms Somda hopes to see more funding that is "more field-oriented, aligned with policies, strategies and in line with the needs of marginalised groups".

Through this exchange with Martine Somda, we see once again that there is still a long way to go to end AIDS in the region. However, this goal is within reach if all actors in the HIV response work together to develop multi-sectoral strategies. Implementing measures to achieve universal access to prevention services, eliminating HIV-related inequalities and stereotypes, and better managing investments are key priorities for ending AIDS by 2030.

Last week Antigua and Barbuda’s High Court struck down laws criminalizing sexual acts between consenting, adult, same sex partners. Orden David, a gay man, brought the case.

In some ways, he’s an unlikely candidate. He describes himself as “private” and “quiet”—characteristics that make him an excellent HIV counsellor and tester. By day he works for the Health Ministry of the very government he challenged. For the past eight years clients have trusted him to treat their interactions with care and confidentiality. He almost seems wired for discretion.

When asked about the personal experiences that compelled him to become the face for a challenge to his country’s “buggery” laws, he’s reluctant to recount them. But the laundry list is included in the judgment.

Slurs.

Insults.

Bullying throughout school.

Photos taken by strangers and posted to social media.

Two unprovoked physical attacks: one on the street at night, another at work.

And most upsetting for Mr David, a string of interactions with police officers who either harassed him or seemed entirely unmotivated to offer the protection afforded to other citizens. Once when he tried reporting a robbery, an officer responded, “Why are you gay?”. Another time police officers neglected to notify him about a court appearance and the case against his assailant was thrown out.

Throughout the Commonwealth Caribbean, homophobic attitudes are not just a matter of personal opinion or conservative religious teaching. In many minds they are sanctioned by states that have retained laws dating back to the 19^th century which criminalize same-sex relationships.

A 2014 online survey of men who have sex with men in the Caribbean commissioned by UNAIDS found that within the past month one-third (33%) of respondents had been stared at or intimidated while almost a quarter (23%) experienced verbal abuse. About one in ten (11%) reported being physically assaulted in the past five years.

Mr David has a unique perspective on how these dynamics—intolerant social attitudes, homophobic abuse, punitive laws and a lack of legal protection—affect the LGBT community’s access to HIV services. He’s had clients refuse to accept calls or show up to treatment after testing positive.

“Because the country is so small and everybody knows everybody, there is a lot of fear,” he explains. (Antigua and Barbuda has a population of 98,000 people.) “People are scared to access services on their own or even pick up their medicines. I normally pick up stuff for people. At the Ministry of Health we distribute condoms and lubricants for free, and the test is free. The access is good, there is no doubt. But persons are sometimes not brave enough.”

The second claimant in the case was the non-governmental organization Women against Rape (WAR). For many years WAR has provided counselling to people from key and vulnerable communities. The group submitted that members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) population were often fearful of being treated in a hostile manner by healthcare workers, resulting in some avoiding HIV testing, treatment and follow-up care.

“HIV has been branded by society as a disease linked to immoral behaviour,” said Alexandrina Wong, WAR’s Executive Director. “Coupled with the stigma entrenched in our laws and policies, this creates a hostile environment for vulnerable populations, especially men who have sex with men, sex workers and transgender people who have already been pushed to the very margins of society. There is every indication that this contributes to the transmission of HIV.”

A 2021 round-up of research on human rights, HIV and men who have sex with men (MSM) by UNAIDS found worse outcomes across the testing and treatment cascade for LGBT people in countries where they are criminalized. Those living in states with the most repressive laws were three times less likely to be aware of their HIV status than counterparts in other places. And MSM in countries with criminal penalties were found to be between two to five times more likely to be living with HIV as those in countries without punitive laws.

The Antigua and Barbuda case was one from a five-country litigation strategy coordinated by the Eastern Caribbean Alliance for Diversity and Equality (ECADE). ECADE Executive Director, Kenita Placide, reflected that the initiative started in 2015 when activists gathered to discuss how punitive laws in the Caribbean increased stigma, discrimination and even violence.

“The process of litigation is important, as it underscores how these laws contribute to the stigmatisation of LGBT people, how they legitimise hate speech, discrimination and violence and tear at the fabric of our society. Our governments have sworn to protect and uphold the rights of all and act in a manner that promotes the prosperity and well-being of all. This judgment is in keeping with this commitment,” they said.

The partners in Antigua and Barbuda know law reform isn’t a magic bullet. But they consider it an important step forward toward ending the inequalities that drive HIV, injustice and lack of access to opportunities.

“We now have safety under the law. We have to look at how we get members of the family and church to see people as equal regardless of sexual orientation, class, creed or anything like that. The judgement paves the way for higher levels of acceptance for inclusion and diversity,” Ms Wong ended.

4 July 2022—UNAIDS congratulates the Argentinian Congress on the approval of a new law on a comprehensive response to HIV, viral hepatitis, tuberculosis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The bill, which has had input from a number of civil society organizations, replaces 30-year-old legislation and changes the country’s health approach from a biomedical approach to an approach more focused on gender and human rights. The new law calls for an end to stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV or STIs and aims to stop criminalization of HIV exposure or transmission.

By prohibiting mandatory testing for HIV and other STIs as part of pre-employment exams, the new law also seeks to protect against discrimination in all areas (with emphasis on the workplace) and ensures the privacy of the diagnosis.

“We join the civil society and community movements in this important celebration. The new law is evidence-based and written from the perspective of human rights,” celebrates Alberto Stella, UNAIDS Country Director for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. “The HIV response in the country now counts on a broad framework of social protection, very much in line with the Global AIDS Strategy (2021-2026), which focuses on ending inequalities to end the AIDS epidemic.”

Besides eradicating discriminatory practices, the new legislation also includes the possibility of early retirement at 50 years old for people who have been living with the virus for ten years and who have paid at least 20 years of pension contributions. It also allows access to a non-contributory pension for life in cases of social vulnerability.

The new bill pays a historical debt for dozens of activists who occupied the balconies of Congress in recent voting sessions and the thousands of people living with HIV they represent. “We are one step closer to eliminating barriers to the implementation of self-testing and promoting prevention strategies such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)”, celebrated Fundación Huesped, an Argentinian organization with a regional reach that has advocated for the right to health since 1989.

The new law also recognizes specific rights of women, guarantees the right to health of their children and ensures compliance with the rights recognized in the law for the Integral Protection of Women.

“This is the result of the articulated work conducted by civil society who not only led its elaboration but who also did excellent and hard work on advocacy,” says Stella. “Along with the National HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STI department of the Ministry of Health, UNAIDS was able to contribute with advocacy efforts and the facilitation of dialogues, providing evidence and the informing on international guidelines.”

The new bill also proposes the national production of medication and supplies.

The latest estimates from the UNAIDS 2021 Global AIDS Update report show that 140 000 people are living with HIV in Argentina and 65% of whom are on antiretroviral treatment. Every year 5600 people are newly infected with HIV, and 1400 people die from AIDS-related illnesses.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

A poster exhibition entitled YES…BUT! highlights the disparities existing in the HIV response in eastern Europe and central Asia (EECA). Some posters display important key facts and figures on the progress made as well as the current gaps hindering progress in the region. Others focus on the impact that AIDS-related stigma and discrimination has on people living with HIV in eastern Europe and central Asia.

For example, one poster highlights that while all people living with HIV are eligible to start HIV treatment immediately regardless of their CD4 count, there has been a 32% increase in AIDS-related death in the region since 2010. Another one focuses on the fact that, even though HIV self-testing and free anonymous HIV testing are available and accessible in most countries, every second an HIV diagnosis is made late—and one in three is made very late.

Tahmina Khaidarova, Director of the Tajikistan Network of Women Living with HIV is convinced that one of the reasons for widespread late diagnosis and increased number of deaths is the stigma that continues to prevent people from accessing HIV testing. “I told my story to help women who live in a vicious cycle of stigma. Stigma makes us vulnerable. We must fight. And first of all, we fight our own fears.” says Mrs Khaidarova in one of the posters.

The EECA region has the fastest-growing HIV epidemic in the world. The war in Ukraine places under huge strain the hard-won gains made in recent years in the HIV response in the countries involved and in the entire region.  

“We must keep the HIV epidemic in the region in the spotlight and support the resilience of people, community-led organizations, and countries to ensure the AIDS response succeeds,” said Eamonn Murphy, Deputy Executive Director, Regional Director for Eastern Europe and central Asia a.i. 

The posters will be shown at the UNAIDS Regional Cluster Meeting for eastern Europe and central Asia to take place in Geneva, from 14 to 17 June 2022.

GENEVA, 27 May 2022—UNAIDS welcomes the Chilean Government’s public acknowledgement of international responsibility in the emblematic case of violations of the rights of women living with HIV who were sterilized without their consent. The President of Chile, Gabriel Boric Font, has issued a public apology as part of a settlement resulting from a case brought before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights against the Chilean state by Francisca, a Chilean woman living with HIV who was sterilized without her consent shortly after giving birth in 2002.

“We welcome the recognition of international accountability in this emblematic case of human rights violations that women living with HIV and their reproductive autonomy have long suffered,” said Luisa Cabal, Director of the UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Latin America and the Caribbean. “It vindicates a journey of more than 10 years, both for Francisca and the organizations that accompanied her, in her quest for justice.” 

When Francisca—a young woman from a rural town in Chile—turned 20 years old, she and her partner received the happy news of the arrival of their first child. She was diagnosed with HIV in a routine prenatal test. Francisca took all appropriate measures to minimize the risk of vertical transmission of HIV and gave birth to an HIV-negative baby boy in November 2002. However, the day after the caesarean section, Francisca received the devastating news that the surgeon on duty had decided to sterilize her during delivery and without her consent. 

In 2009, the Center for Reproductive Rights and the Chilean organization Vivo Positivo took Francisca’s case to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. This case was part of a documentation of stories of Chilean women living with HIV who were often pressured not to become pregnant, as well as to undergo surgical sterilization. One of the documented accounts tells of another woman, identified as Daniela, who, after giving birth, was told that she could not hug or kiss her newborn child because she would transmit HIV to her baby. She said in interviews that this was how she understood what discrimination was. 

After more than a decade of international litigation and after the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights studied the case, a friendly settlement agreement was signed with the Chilean state, in which the government accepted its responsibility and committed to redress the violations and to take measures to ensure that such acts would not happen again. 

UNAIDS intervened in this case with an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief that informed the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the health guidelines and human rights standards that each country must follow to respect, protect and guarantee the human rights of people living with HIV. 

“I would like to start by apologising to Francisca, who I understand is on the other side of the camera, for the serious violation of your rights and also for the denial of justice and for all the time you had to wait for this,” Mr Boric said at the opening of his speech during the official ceremony, broadcast live on social media. “How many people like you do we not know? It hurts to think that the state, which today I have the honour to represent, is responsible for these cases. I pledge to you, and to those who today represent you here in person, that while we govern, we will give the best of each one of us as authorities so that something like this will never happen again and certainly so that in cases where these atrocities have already been committed, they will be properly redressed.” 

“I would love to have been me, with my voice, my face and my body, the one who after so many years of struggle stood present to lead this act in my own name. However, making my identity known would have closed endless doors for me,” said Carmen Martinez, the Associate Director of Legal Strategies for Latin America and the Caribbean for the Center for Reproductive Rights, as she read the words shared by Francisca to the audience. “To this day, people who carry HIV are still looked down upon with contempt as if it was our decision to become infected. However, I want to believe with conviction that this will change.” 

“Finally, justice was done; through this case we call on all governments to continue to invest in the elimination of HIV discrimination in all services, including health care,” said Sara Araya, the Coordinator of Live Positive Gender. “The message is clear: the autonomy and physical integrity of women and all people living with HIV must be secured without discrimination. No more rights violations against women living with HIV.”  

HIV-related stigma and discrimination has a significant impact on the health, lives and well-being of people living with or at risk of HIV. Stigma and discrimination hinders the HIV response by limiting access to broader sexual and reproductive health and other health services. UNAIDS continues to work daily to ensure that governments invest in preventing and responding to violations linked to the forms of intersectional discrimination to which people living with HIV have been subjected.

Francisca delivered a healthy baby boy in 2002 and was then sterilized without her consent by the doctor who carried out her caesarean section, making the decision that a woman living with HIV should not be able to have children. The friendly agreement announced this week comes after more than a decade’s litigation by the woman and her legal teams.

“This settlement is a significant moment for women around the world who have been fighting for reproductive justice for decades. Coercive sterilization of women living with HIV is a violation of women’s most fundamental human rights,” said the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima. “Unfortunately, this practice is still happening in many countries and efforts to stop it and bring justice to more women must be stepped up.”

This settlement comes after years of efforts before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights after an earlier complaint in the Chilean justice system was unsuccessful. The case was litigated by the Chilean organization Vivo Positivo and the international human rights organization Center for Reproductive Rights.

The Global AIDS Strategy 2021–2026: End Inequalities, End AIDS is based on the promotion of human rights, gender equality and dignity, free from stigma and discrimination for all people living with and affected by HIV. It is a commitment by UNAIDS to an ambitious vision to end gender inequalities and realize human rights, including the right to health, calling on all partners and stakeholders in the HIV response in all countries to transform unequal gender norms and end stigma and discrimination.

UNAIDS

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.

Ahead of the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Interphobia and Transphobia (IDAHoBiT) held annually on 17 May, UNAIDS talks to Evelyne Paradis, Executive Director of ILGA-Europe, the Europe-based Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association about protecting the rights of LGBTI people in humanitarian crises. 

How do humanitarian crises particularly affect LGBTI people?  

Humanitarian crises affect everybody, however, some communities sometimes need a targeted response because of pre-existing vulnerabilities. These particular vulnerabilities make people feel unsafe when dealing with humanitarian organisations providing safe shelter, basic necessities food and medical aid. Not knowing if they will be treated without discrimination, simply welcomed and be taken care of, is a barrier for people in accessing humanitarian support.

ILGA-Europe is heavily involved in the Ukraine crisis.  What are the main challenges facing LGBTI people affected by the war? 

In the Ukraine crisis, what we are seeing is that LGBTI people are not de facto integrated in first aid supply chains. Transition-related and intersex-specific medication, such as hormone replacement therapy, and to a certain extent medicines for people living with HIV, are not ensured in humanitarian packages at the moment. On top of this, a significant portion of the LGBTI community cannot meet their basic needs, due to pre-existing socioeconomic inequalities.

Trans women with a male gender marker on their documents can be obliged to join the army or cannot leave the country along with other women, which puts them in a potentially very harmful situation.

Having access to safe shelter is also an issue. In Ukraine, many LGBTI people don’t feel safe to be ‘out’ in regular shelter, while some who are displaced in the country are reporting facing discrimination when trying to rent an apartment. As a result many of the LGBTI groups have set up shelters to support their communities. Some of those who are staying and are visible have been physically attacked, as LGBTIphobia was already an issue in Ukraine before the war.

This is all happening while LGBTI people face the same struggles everyone else is facing; money, food, caring for loved ones, and so much more.

What are organizations like ILGA-Europe doing to help? 

We are sending direct financial support to groups who are staying in Ukraine and are providing direct support to their communities, as well as to LGBTI groups in hosting countries. We’re also actively working to mobilise resources for all the LGBTI groups working in support of LGBTI people in Ukraine and abroad. We’re working with large humanitarian groups and organisations like UNAIDS and connecting them to the needs on the ground, while advocating with European institutions and governments to take action both in support of LGBTI communities in Ukraine and for LGBTI people who have left the country.

What can be done to better address the unique needs of LGBTIQ+ people in humanitarian crises?  

What we are seeing is that an LGBTI perspective is really not integrated into humanitarian work and the development of protection measures, such as protection from gender-based violence or access to medicines. In many ways we have had to start from zero, including having to establish contacts with actors in the humanitarian sector.

While it is still early in this particular crisis to have specific recommendations, there will be no doubt be a lot of learning to be done from the work currently happening, so that we make sure that in future LGBTI perspectives and needs are integrated in the way humanitarian actors respond from the start.

Many civil society and community organizations are supporting LGBTI people affected by the war in Ukraine.  What challenges do they face in carrying out this important work?  

Most LGBTI organisations are not set up to be doing humanitarian work, and yet they are supporting basic needs in addition to the work they continue to do for their communities. But they cannot do it all. If they become the first point of support and assistance, there’s a lot of other work, like advocating for rights, that will not be done. This is true in Ukraine as well as in hosting countries.

Inequalities, stigma, discrimination and human rights violations against are continuing to prevent LGBTI people from being able to access the HIV and health services they need. How can we achieve positive political, legal and social change?  

The work that has started with the humanitarian sector shows there’s a need, but it’s also an opportunity. If the humanitarian sector incorporates an LGBTI perspective and LGBTI people in their work from the start, this can mean a positive change for these communities, especially in times of crisis.

Evelyne Paradis will be one of the speakers at an IDAHOBIT event held on the 17 May focusing on how to better protect the rights of LGBTIQ+ people, particularly in the context of the war in Ukraine, and how to ensure equal rights for all. More information

Andrii Chernyshev heads the advocacy work of the Ukrainian national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) organization ALLIANCE.GLOBAL, which is one of the largest among about 30 LGBTI community organizations across the country. After the start of the war in Ukraine, he moved from Kyiv to the central part of Ukraine, a safer place to continue his work. His Facebook page has been full of announcements about where LGBTI people fleeing hostilities can find shelter and help, both inside and outside the country.

Before the war, the primary focus of ALLIANCE.GLOBAL was public health, HIV prevention, monitoring of violations of human rights and national LGBTI advocacy. But the war has brought about new urgent tasks.  

“The main challenge for all people during the war, including LGBTI people, is just to survive. Many have lost their homes and relatives. Just recently, we welcomed several people from Mariupol, which is now completely destroyed. Although they managed to leave the city, they are in a very bad psychological state,” said Mr Chernyshev.

According to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, there are now 7.7 million internally displaced people in Ukraine. This number includes members of key populations, including LGBTI people, and others who are especially vulnerable.

Sviatoslav Sheremet, the coordinator of policy and legislation work of the National MSM Consortium, said that there are several factors that make LGBTI people especially vulnerable. “Many LGBTI people are fleeing the areas occupied by Russian forces. People are afraid, and this fear has pushed them to actively move out to safer zones in Ukraine and outside the country.”

He noted that LGBTI people often cannot reveal their sexual orientation or gender identity, fearing violence, rejection and discrimination if they do. He underlined that all cases of homophobia are still being recorded and submitted to state bodies. “The proceedings on such cases are postponed until there is peace,” he added.

Both ALLIANCE.GLOBAL and the National MSM Consortium have significantly changed their work. Several additional shelters for LGBTI people have opened in Dnipro and Chernivtsi. Men and women, including transgender people, can stay there one night and move on, or stay longer, and can bring their relatives and friends. People also receive financial support to leave the war zones and reach shelter.

“The shelter in Chernivtsi, for example, was in a non-residential building,” said Mr Chernyshev. With a small grant from the UNAIDS Emergency Fund and other donors, we installed a shower and bought heaters. People have food, the Internet, a first aid kit, access to HIV counselling and antiretroviral therapy.”

LGBTI organizations outside the country have also provided support to people in need.

Stas Mishchenko, an LGBTI activist from Ukraine, now lives in Munich, Germany. At the beginning of the war, he joined the Contact Group of Munich Kyiv Queer, which is part of the Alliance for Assistance to Queer People of Ukraine, a group of more than 50 LGBTI organizations in Germany whose members volunteer to help people who have fled to Germany and those who remain in Ukraine.

“Sometimes there is homophobia and transphobia in refugee camps. And even if these are not systemic, there is always the human factor, combined with stress, fear and violence. That is why we accompany people on their way to us, provide psychological assistance, try to resettle them in private homes, help with humanitarian aid,” said Mr Mishchenko.

“The war exacerbated both good and bad in our society,” said Marina Novachuk, UNAIDS Community Adviser at the UNAIDS Country Office for Ukraine. It is essential for the state and all stakeholders engaged in protecting forcibly displaced people to recognize and respond to the unique needs of LGBTI and gender-diverse people.”

Over the past 20 years, Ukraine has made a real breakthrough in ensuring the rights of LGBTI people and in protecting their security. LGBTI rights are an integral part of the National Human Rights Strategy. Leaders of the LGBTI community sit on the National Council of HIV and TB, as well as on regional councils. The number of participants of the annual equality marches has risen from just a dozen to thousands of people. Ukraine plans to develop legislation on the registration of civil partnerships.

“Achieving civil equality has been the goal of my work for many years—I have seen huge improvements. The attitude towards LGBTI communities is a litmus test of civilization,” Mr Sheremet said.

In April 2022, Ukraine received a questionnaire from the European Commission on its readiness for candidate status for membership of the European Union. On 18 April, Ukraine completed and submitted the first part of the questionnaire, which includes several questions on the situation with regard to LGBTI people and legislation, specifically about the legislative and policy instruments in place to prevent and respond to discrimination and how hate crimes are addressed in the criminal code. ALLIANCE.GLOBAL and the National MSM Consortium team will follow the process closely.

“We have been working on changes in the legislation on LGBTI rights for many years now and we hope that now it will take not years but months to change. But first the war should end,” added Mr Chernyshev.