NETWORK PRESENTATIONBotswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIVAIDSBONELA

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NETWORK PRESENTATION-Botswana Network on Ethics,
Law and HIV/AIDS(BONELA)

• REGIONAL WORKSHOP ON HIV/AIDS and VULNERABLE
  GROUPS
• MARCH 11-13, 2009, CAPE TOWN

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BONELA

• BONELA Promotes a just and inclusive environment
  for people affected by HIV and AIDS through
  education, training community members, advocating
  for better policies and laws, raising public
  awareness through media campaigns, monitoring
  human rights violations, researching key issues
  and providing free legal aid.

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FOCUSING ON BONELA ISSUES

• Rights in the Workplace
• Rights around HIV testing
• Right to health
• Childrens rights
• Womens rights
• Reproductive health rights
• Rights for prisoners and people with
  non-heterosexual identities
• Rights for sex workers
• Rights for people living with disabilities

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PRISM BASELINE

• In 2007 BONELA interviewed different
  organizations to identify gaps and needs of MSM
  and WSW regarding ability to access prevention
  services. Basing on the findings, recommendations
  for the Prevention and Research Initiative for
  Sexual Minorities (PRISM) implementation were
  made.
• Another study- (MSM HIV prevalence probe) to
  improve the understanding of HIV prevention,
  sexual behavior and uptake of prevention services
  was conducted in 2008. The study was in 2 parts
  a qualitative component that explores knowledge
  and behavior, and a HIV prevalence using salivary
  exudates (oral swab).

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Challenges

• Legal context (carnal knowledge against the
  order of nature)
• Socio-cultural barriers
• Attitudes (homophobic) at all levels
• Stigma and discrimination
• Political will power and buy-in
• Knowledge and information
• Donor dependence
• Non-registration of LeGaBiBo

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LESSONS LEARNT

• Area of policy is a long term commitment
• Advocacy is a big investment in terms of money,
  time, people involved
• Good for awareness raising and ownership building
  if done properly
• Have to be focused on what needs to be achieved
• Strong leadership to facilitate in keeping the
  advocacy on track

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Recommendations

• Need for collaboration, education and training of
  public health staff
• The legislative environment need to
  support/accommodate minorities
• Broader research and continuous information
  dissemination needed

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Conclusions

• Sex workers/MSM/WSW need social and political
  support
• Sex workers/MSM/WSW need tailored health
  education
• Public health services need to offer vulnerable
  groups a deliberate service
• Various stakeholders need to take note of
  emerging abuse against vulnerable groups
• Empowerment of MSM/WSW communities and a
  strengthening of self esteem is needed

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PRISM IMPLEMENTATION

• Dissemination of the needs assessment and MSM
  study findings
• Educating the general public on MSM/WSW/LGBTI
  issues as well as MSM/WSW/LGBTIs for empowerment
• Trainings for service providers and leaders in
  various settings for capacity building and skill
  enhancement
• Advocacy, sensitization and lobbying various
  levels of policy makers
• Workshops, public forums or dialogues, production
  of IEC materials (booklets and pamphlets) and
  other media modes like radio talk shows and
  newspapers will be used as a strategy.

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FINALLY

• Fulfilling the rights of men who have sex with
  men and women who have sex with women as well as
  sex workers is not only intrinsically valuable,
  it is also a critical means for improved health
  outcomes for them and the broader community in
  the long term