Male Sexual Health and HIV In Asia And The Pacific International
Consultation

Despite evidence, establishing male-to-male sex as one of the
driving forces of HIV transmission in the Asia and Pacific region,
few strategic interventions address male-to-male sexuality and
related HIV vulnerabilities.

In recognition of the need for building and strengthening
interventions addressing HIV related vulnerabilities of males who
have sex with males (MSM) in the Region; a Male Sexual Health and
HIV in Asia and the Pacific - International Consultation is being
organized in New Delhi, India from September 23-26, 2006, with the
tagline "Risks & Responsibilities."

This regional consultation will bring together governments, policy-
makers, donors, researchers, grassroots and community based
organisations across the Asia-Pacific region to provide a space for
dialogue, learning, networking, and skills building, to enable
expansion, strengthening and scaling up of strategies addressing
male sexual health and related HIV vulnerabilities. In addition, the
consultation will provide an opportunity to inform and develop
strategic advocacy initiatives and deliberate on key policies
related to these issues.

The main objectives of this three-day meeting are:

• Generating and sharing knowledge and learning on technical,
social, policy, rights and resources issues relevant to male-to-male
sexual behaviours and HIV in Asia and the Pacific;

• Identification of obstacles and challenges that impede scaling-up
of `MSM and HIV-' specific programmes and services;

• Informing the formulation of strategies and programmes for
improving and expanding `MSM and HIV'-specific prevention,
treatment, care and support interventions and services
The theme of the consultation is "Risks & Responsibilities",
signifying the risks faced by MSM due to their sexual practices and
cultural vulnerabilities, and the risks of not addressing them with
adequate and appropriate HIV prevention, treatment care and support
interventions. This also flags the responsibilities that MSM have
towards protecting themselves and their partners, and the
responsibilities of governments, donors and other stakeholders in
ensuring resources and environments that enable good-quality
programmes and services for prevention, treatment, care and support
for MSM.

There is an urgent need for MSM programming and interventions in
Asia and the Pacific to move from the backseat to the forefront.
The larger goal of this consultation is to catalyse and enhance
coordinated responses through increased commitment among national
and international stakeholders, in tandem with the real needs of
males-who-have sex with males. This would lead to intensified HIV
and sexual health interventions with appropriate and supportive
policies and adequate funding.

The outcomes of the "Risks & Responsibilities" Consultation will
include:
• A Declaration of Commitment by policymakers, civil society and
donors
• An agreed set of principles on male sexual health., relating to
HIV prevention, treatment, care and support
• An enhanced knowledge base on the technical, social and policy
issues relevant to male-to-male sexual behaviours in Asia and the
Pacific, which may take the form of technical resource kits
• Recommendations for action regarding issues such as resources
allocation, epidemiology, intervention strategies, rights and legal
issues. In short: strategies that will facilitate and assure
inclusion of male-to-male sexuality in national and sub-national HIV
frameworks for action.
• Identification of key strategic advocacy initiatives and policies
that need to be developed and maintained in relation to MSM, sexual
health and HIV vulnerabilities.
• A pan-regional network of organisations and institutions to
generate region-wide coordinated advocacy for policy change, social
justice, rights, and an equitable allocation of public resources for
HIV interventions, care, treatment and other services . This network
will ensure that MSM issues remain on the HIV agenda in Asia and the
Pacific and at all relevant national and regional HIV conferences
and meetings.

Risks & Responsibilities
D-35, 2nd Floor
South Extension Part-II
New Delhi, INDIA
E-mail: mails@...

http://www.risksandresponsibilities.org/