Call for Applications: Health Rights Advocacy Training

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Asia Catalyst will offer up to 20 health rights advocates from organizations working with communities directly affected by HIV/AIDS the opportunity to participate in a rights training program, which includes support in gathering documentation and planning advocacy strategies, monthly coaching, and opportunities to collaborate with peer organizations.

Participants will convene in May in Thailand for an intensive weeklong retreat where they will receive training on creating advocacy plans that will further their organization’s goals. Starting in June, our team of experts will conduct individualized monthly coaching via Skype for all participants, and make several site visits. Participants will reconvene for one day in November around the International Congress on HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP) to report back to one another about their work and develop a plan to continue collaborating with one another at ICAAP and when other regional opportunities arise. Applicants should be expected to commit 3 to 5 hours a month for coaching assignments and call preparation in addition to the in-person gatherings.

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Blood Supply Shortage Fuels Illegal Blood Trade in China

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According to a recent article from Caixin, the blood supply shortage in China s fueling an illegal underground blood trade that poses a substantial public health risk. Could the blood disaster of the 1990s happen again?  With hospitals running out of blood for operations, a blood hawker in Beijing told Caixin: “Many relatives of patients who need blood for an operation have no choice but to come to us.” 

Recent Cohort Graduate Co-organizes China Rainbow Media Awards

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The Beijing Gender Health and Education Institute, a recent graduate of Asia Catalyst’s NGO Leadership Cohort, co-organized the second annual China Rainbow Media Awards (CRMA) in Guangzhou last month. CRMA made awards in seven categories for diverse, positive and unbiased reporting on LGBT issues. CRMA garnered attention from media outlets throughout China and support from high profile public figures, such as film star Fan Bingbing. For more information, check out highlights from the 2012 CRMA in this video on the Queer Comrades online channel (Chinese with English subtitles) and read the official press releases in English and Chinese.

Another video available via Queer Comrades, “The Chinese Queer Year 2012 ,” takes a look back at LGBT-related news and developments during 2012.

 

Grassroots Advocacy in China: Year in Review

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By Mike Frick

After a year of secretive negotiations and public pomp and drama, China unveiled its new leaders. But alongside the official narrative of this once-a-decade transition, Chinese grassroots organizations and individual citizens took part in their own smaller-scale dramas when they stood up, individually and collectively, to demand a more equal society. The year 2012 saw creative – sometimes daring – examples of advocacy in the field of health and human rights.

Here is a look-back at some notable campaigns led by activists who demanded equal rights for LGBT people, women, male and female sex workers, disabled people, and people living with hepatitis or HIV/AIDS.

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Sign On to End Violence Against Sex Workers in China

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A coalition of Chinese sex worker organizations is circulating a sign-on letter to call for an end to violence against sex workers.

Brief summary in English: December 17th is “International End Violence Against Sex Workers Day.” The letter says that violence against sex workers in China continues, and gives examples, including:

  • Lack of protection of personal safety for female, male and transgender sex workers, citing documented cases of 218 incidents, including 8 in which sex workers were killed.
  • Fear of seeking help when they encounter violence. Because they fear being jailed for criminal behavior, sex workers are often reluctant to use the law to protect their rights.

The signers call for more attention to safety of sex workers and an end to violence. Sex workers are Chinese citizens and should receive equal treatment in protection of their personal safety and property. They also call for an end to social stigma, discrimination and verbal abuse of sex workers.

Ten Chinese sex worker organizations have signed their names and the China Sex Worker Organization Network has also endorsed it. Please email Guo Ziyang at ouyanghuijie@sina.com to add your organization’s name to the letter.

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