Malawi activists for sexual minorities in Aids fight

Sexual minority rights campaigners in Malawi have called on government to come up with an HIV and Aids prevention strategy for the sexual minority groups to reduce the HIV prevalence rates facing the Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual, Trans-gender and Inter-sexual (LGBTI) community.

The activists made the call during the Sexual Minorities’ Access to Treatment advocacy meeting held on Thursday in Lilongwe.

Technical Advisory Committee chairperson for HIV and Aids and Human Rights Capacity Building and Advocacy country programme Safari Mbewe said the country cannot win the fight against HIV and Aids in the absence of the prevention strategy tailor-made for the sexual minorities community in the country.

“Currently, Malawi shares the global vision of zero- new HIV infections rates, zero discrimination and zero HIV and Aids related deaths,” said Mbewe, who is also the executive director for Manet+.

Speaking at the same function, Centre for Development of People (Cedep) executive director Gift Trapence said once put in place the strategy will significantly lower cases of self-stigma and discrimination and the LGBTI community as most of the sexual minority groups will be empowered to access treatment in the country’s public hospitals.