HIV, Stigma and Men Who Have Sex with Men

Michael Kirby. Image by Denis Largeron. ©MSMGF

Another major theme of this year’s conference is the prejudice and discrimination that affects men who have sex with men (MSM) in many parts of the world, and how this is contributing to the spread of HIV in this group.

Law reform for MSM in Africa and the Caribbean was the focus of a meeting of the Global Forum on Men who have Sex with Men (MSM GF) held on the eve of the conference.

A recent study in The Lancet showed that 26% of MSM in studies from the Caribbean were HIV-positive, as were 18% of MSM in research from Africa and 15% of MSM in research carried out in south-east Asia.

The meeting heard that decriminalizing sex between men was an essential first step for creating a safer legal environment for this population.