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International AIDS Conference - Report |
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Caroline Bowley, Gender DynamiX Programmes Coordinator was invited by the World Aids Campaign to represent Gender DynamiX at the 18th International AIDS Conference in Vienna from 18 to 23 July 2010. Caroline was asked specifically as a representative of the transgender community in Africa as it is one of the groups of individuals who are most at risk of contracting HIV.
Pre Conference Workshop
Caroline attended a pre conference workshop in Vienna on 16 and 17 July hosted by World Aids Campaign. The main objective for the workshop was to reflect on the geographic and population range of the HIV epidemics, receive up-to-date information and participate in skill/knowledge building at a campaign-focused event before the International AIDS Conference.
One of the main stumbling blocks to reaching some of the goals for ensuring universal access to treatment for people living with HIV and prevention strategies was identified as being the lack of financing. The amounts that were promised by the G8 and other countries to reach the millennium development targets for 2010 have been short coming and less than 50% of funds promised have been delivered.
Out of the pre conference workshop some protest actions were organized to coincide with the conference. One took place at the start before the main opening plenary session and the other was on the Wednesday Evening in Vienna.
Global Village –  LGBTI Networking Zone
Caroline was asked to participate in 2 sessions hosted at the LGBTI Networking Zone in the Global Village.
The first session had the title “Focus Africa - Trans”. In this session Caroline spoke about how the discrimination and criminalization of transgender people in Africa is severely hampering access to health services and increasing the risks for transgender people to contract HIV and limits their access to treatment. The lack of basic human rights such as access to schooling, housing, shelter, employment and medical services results in transgender people having to resort to some form of transactional sex in order to survive. In most cases they are unable to negotiate adequate safe sex and are therefore at high risk of contracting HIV. Trans men very often have to face the added scourge of corrective rape. The fact that no studies have ever been done into the prevalence of transgenderism in Africa, and that transgender people are very often made to be invisible by being lumped together with MSM and WSW studies into HIV rates does not help to improve their lot. Transgender activists from other African countries also reiterated the need for studies into trans specific HIV prevalence and asked that we not be silenced by the greater LGB sector. It was agreed that we need to collaborate with service providers that offer services to MSM and WSW and that we can learn from the expertise they have in this sector.
Session 2 was on “Trans-politics of the World”. This was a look at access to human rights for transgender people around the world. There were 3 panellists, one from Argentina in South America, one from the USA and Caroline from South Africa who also covered the situation in the rest of Africa and a facilitator from Sweden. All of the panellists and the facilitator spoke about how in each of their countries there is a lack of laws protecting the rights of transgender people. Caroline highlighted the fact that in many African countries it is a criminal offence to be transgender. Many of the laws in some countries make it very difficult or downright impossible for transgender people to get recognition for their true gender and have their gender marker changed.
Transgender Networking Meeting
Caroline also attended a networking zone meeting for transgender people. There were about 12 representatives from about 7 different countries represented. The discussion revolved around the fact that transgender issues always seem to be sidelined by being included in other mainstream or LGB activities. All of the participants highlighted the fact that a whole lot is being said about the fact that transgender people are among the groups that are most at risk of contracting HIV but that very little action seems to be taking place to address this issue. There was agreement that there was not enough visibility around transgender HIV issues at this conference and that more needs to be done to ensure that this changes by the time of the 19th International AIDS conference to be held in Washington in 2012. The transgender people present committed themselves to collaborating on accomplishing this goal.
LBT: Gender and Sexuality
Caroline also attended a session on how most programs focus on prevention and treatment based on heteronormative understandings of sexuality and gender. The panellists spoke of how they are working with women whose sexual orientation results in them being ignored by most programs and how they are working to assist these women. Caroline took the opportunity when the floor was opened for comments and questions to raise awareness of the plight that many lesbian and bisexual women have to deal with as they are subjected to corrective rape in Africa and how this subjects them to very high risks of contracting HIV as most rapes are violent. She also raised the issue of trans men who even though they don’t themselves identify as female are discriminated against in their communities and subjected to the same scourge of corrective rape.
Overall Conference Overview
Overall the conference was very informative. There was a definite sense of urgency amongst the delegates, exhibitors and presenters around the need to stop the spread of the disease and for effective treatment. There was however a lot of concern that the goals of providing universal access for all were not going to be met.
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