After their conference material had been confiscated by the homophobic Zimbabwe government at the weekend, Gays, Lesibians,Trans-gender and people who use drugs from the African continent attending the ICASA conference in Harare on Monday petitioned President Robert Mugabe as the African Union chairperson to respect their rights.
Below is the full communiqué which the key populations wrote.
We, the undersigned African communities of people living with HIV, men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who use drugs, trans-diverse persons in all our diversity in sexual orientation, gender identity and expression.
Concerned   by   the   growing   prevalence   of   HIV   infections   and   AIDS-related   death   among   key populations, including young and adolescent key populations .
Also concerned by the legislative, policy and social frameworks that deny legal gender recognition, perpetuate  violence,  stigma,  discrimination  and  exclusion  of  key  populations  services,  including healthcare and HIV-related servicesFurther concerned by the refusal to acknowledge the resilience and the immense contribution of key population communities and initiatives within the HIV response
Appalled  by  an  evolving  development  agenda  that  is  not  people-centred;  that  deprioritises  the human  rights,  access  to justice  and the health  needs  of key populations  and other  marginalized groups  Condemn  the  continued  violence,  stigma,  discrimination,  and  laws  that  criminalize  key  populations and exclude us from accessing information, justice and health services.
Condemn  health  systems  that  are  hostile  to  key  populations;  that  are  used  to  arrest  and  detain  us and violate and objectify our bodies and subject us to cruel and degrading treatment.
Also condemn the lack of investment, particularly domestic investment in key populations in the HIV response Condemn   political   statements,   declarations,   strategies,   and   national   plans   that   include   key populations as a token without any commitment and investment in meeting our needs
Further  condemn  continuing  exclusion  from  programs  and  interventions  with  the  excuse  that  ‘they are invisible’, ’there is no evidence’ and ‘they lack capacity’
Hereby  demand  urgent  action  and  investment  to  address  increasing  HIV  infections  and  aids  related death among key populations including young and adolescent Key Populations
Demand  investment  in  community  systems,  as  well  as  the  resourcing,  strengthening,  upscaling  and integration of community-led interventions.
Demand the involvement of key populations in planning, design, implementation and monitoring of strategies, policies, plans, and programmes .
Demand  genuine  partnership  in  research  in  an  equitable,  dignifying  and  beneficial  manner  that guarantees community ownership
Demand  that  healthcare  providers  abide  by  the  Hippocratic  oath  by  delivering  quality,  appropriate,non-discriminatory services , that respect confidentiality and the needs and choices of the individual.
Demand   that   the   contribution   of   communities   of   key   populations   in   the   HIV   response   be acknowledged, valued and adequately remunerated.
Demand  explicit  targets,  indicators  and  investments  be  made  in  the  development  agenda  that prioritises human rights and health needs of key populations and other marginalized groups.
Demand  appropriate  allocation  of  funding,  particularly  domestic  funding,  and  other  resources  be made to communities of key populations and key population-led initiatives;
We  call  on  HIV,  human  rights  organisations,   broader  civil  society  and  other  stakeholders   to demonstrate   and  stand  in  solidarity   with  and  demand  accountability   and  investment   in  key populations communities and key population-led initiatives in order to achieve the end of AIDS.
As communities key populations, in order to advance the HIV response, we commit to organise and operate with professionalism  and transparency; continue to work in solidarity with each other and other marginalised  and vulnerable groups including youth and adolescents living with HIV, women and  girls,  people  with  disabilities,  migrants  and  displaced  peoples;  mobilise  and  organise  our communities; support our communities including those of us living with HIV; and
We  also  collaborate  with  government  and  other  relevant  stakeholders;  educate  and  sensitize government, other relevant stakeholders and our peers; be present and committed in the forefront of interventions; hold ourselves, governments, and stakeholders.