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Reflections from AIDS 2014

Posted on September 22, 2014 by admin

The 20th International AIDS Conference, “AIDS 2014”, was held in Melbourne from July 20th to 25th.

The theme of the Melbourne Declaration, which was drafted by the organizers of the AIDS 2014 conference, was “Nobody left behind.” The Declaration affirms that non-discrimination is fundamental to HIV response, and asks governments around the world to guarantee the equal rights of people at risk for HIV.

With the support of Asia Catalyst, I attended the conference alongside Ziyang Guo from Beijing Zuoyou Information Center and Tingting Shen, the Advocacy and Research Director from Asia Catalyst. As the organization I represent, SCMC, focuses on health rights issues for sex workers and LGBT people, I attended the sex worker and LGBT related sessions at AIDS 2014.

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AIDS 2014: Transgender Sex Worker Research

Posted on July 25, 2014 by admin

This week at the International Aids Conference (IAC), Asia Catalyst presents preliminary findings from a joint research project on transgender sex workers conducted with two Chinese organizations, Beijing Zuoyou Information Center and Shanghai CSW & MSM Center.

Shanghai CSW (commercial sex worker) & MSM (men who have sex with men) Center (SCMC) was established in 2004 to focus on the rights and wellbeing of vulnerable sexual minorities in China. SCMC works to improve sexual minorities’ access to medical and legal services, and to improve the environment surrounding these vulnerable groups. As the secretariat of a sex workers network platform, SCMC also works in coalition with academic institutions, mass media, and other groups to improve public understanding of the discrimination faced by sex workers.

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International AIDS Conference Poster

Posted on July 24, 2014 by admin

Asia Catalyst presents our research at the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne this week. Our poster presentation outlines joint research on the Custody and Education system for female sex workers and clients in China, conducted alongside two of our community based partners.

We are excited to share with you the outline of this research. Too view the full poster, click here!

Asia Catalyst expresses condolences over tragic loss of MH17

Posted on July 18, 2014 by admin

Asia Catalyst today expresses deep sadness and profound sympathy over the tragic loss of all those on board Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17, which crashed in eastern Ukraine on Thursday, July 17, 2014.

Among those on the flight were colleagues, friends, and esteemed members of the international AIDS activism community, more than one hundred of whom were on their way to the International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia, set to begin this Sunday.

Over the next week, and into the weeks, months, and years to come, these many familiar voices and guiding lights in the ongoing fight against the AIDS epidemic will be dearly missed. With all condolences in this sensitive time, Asia Catalyst stands in solidarity with the families, friends, and colleagues of all who have perished in this tragedy.