Let’s talk about sex

1. Let’s talk about sex Overcoming HIV in conservative settings

2. Overview – MENA • Homosexuality is illegal in all Arab countries • Challenging environment for LGBT organizing • Security and political instability

3. Common issues across the region • Social reasons • Fear from the families; • Fear from the law; • Wrong conception about homosexuality; • Lack of sexual education; • Religion; • Lack of information targeting the LGBT community; • Lack of prevention material about reproductive health • Lack of support network for LGBT people • MedicalReasons • Discriminatory attitudes of health professionals regarding MSM; • Lack of confidentiality at voluntary testing centers; • Lake of accessible counseling service for MSM/gay men; • Difficulty in accessing existing services.

4. HIV and sexual rights movement • In 2004 only two LGBT organizations existed in the MENA region • 2005 first regional HIV/AIDS initiative targeting MSM community

5. MAIN activities • Dissemination of appropriate information on sexual identity issues and HIV/AIDS to MSM • Providing prevention material • Outreach work for LGBT • Developing publications on sexual Heath for LGBT • Establishment of a better referral system for health-care services; • Provision of free psychosocial support/therapy, to be sustained even after the project’s fund is spent; • Developing a booklet intended for the families of LGBT population.

6. Positive impact • Offering an umbrella for LGBT activists • Offering space for MSM to organize • (In Lebanon) Helembecame a key partner of the National AIDS Program. • Providing the opportunity for MSM activists to establish contact with the police and decision-makers. • Helem noticed behavior/attitude change of policemen towards MSM.

7. HIV/AIDS activists V/S LGBT activists • Focus on HIV/AIDS, Excluding L and T • Lack of holistic approach to sexual health • Lack of rights based approach and community engagement • Lack of creativity • Lack of community leadership

8. HIV/AIDS activists V/S LGBT activists

9. 2008

10. Examples of intersections: Services MARSA:

11. Examples of intersections: Services • Community based management • Holistic approach to sexual health • Building alliances through inclusion • Filling the gap between sexual health and sexual rights

12. Examples of intersections: Capacity Building The Arab foundation for freedoms and equality: • Including HIV/AIDS in a broader discourse on gender and bodily rights • HIV/AIDS prevention as part of the right for sexual education and awareness • Putting HIV/AIDS in a broader political context • HIV/AIDS research is a component of a boarder research on gender and sexual rights • Security trainings and risk management

13. Examples of intersections: network building • Vision: The vision of M-Coalition is an Arab world where right to health and all other human rights of Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) are recognized, realized and protected. • Mission: The mission of « M-Coalition » is to facilitate the access of MSM in the Arab world to, services of prevention, care, treatment and quality support through advocacy, creation of a favorable environment, capacity building and follow-up, research, exchange of good practices and coordination on a local, regional and international levels and this, by collaborating with other entities of health and human rights.

14. Across MENA • Morocco: ASWAT MAGAZINE • Tunisia: ARKAN – CHAML • ALGERIA: ALWAN – ABU NAWAS • Egypt - SUDAN: BEDAYA • IRAQ – KUWAIT

16. Milestones • 2004: Two organizations working on LGBT issues in the MENA region • 2005: First regional project targeting the MSM community: Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco and Lebanon:Adapted services for MSMPsycho-social supportAdvocacy with the National Aids programs • 2013: Lebanese psychiatric associations removes homosexuality from the list of mental illnesses • 2013: Historical ruling in Lebanon