Noticias

With support of SOMOSGAY, Alfredo Gaona, representative of the Fundación Vencer from Paraguay, participated in the XI National Symposium and the Third International Forum on Masculinities and HIV in Santiago de Cuba, Republic of Cuba on June 26-28. This event was organized by the MSM Cuba Project, a project on HIV and STI prevention among men who have sex with men in Santiago de Cuba, with support of the National Program for Prevention and Control of HIV/AIDS and STI and UNDP.

This symposium is a multidisciplinary meeting that has been held in the province of Santiago de Cuba since 2003, involving health workers and human rights activists, professionals and students of medical, social, humanities, legal and social media in the fight against HIV.

With research presentations and audiovisual materials, the participants presented topics related to STIs and HIV/AIDS in adolescents and young men, intervention strategies that incorporate sexuality studies in older adults and issues of masculinity, legal framework and drug use, all related to STIs -including HIV- among men, transgender individuals. Thematic sessions on gender, sexual diversity, transactional relationships and sexual and reproductive health  and rights were also available.

During the Exhibition Fair; different community networks presented their work in response to the epidemic. This was the right time for Vencer and SOMOSGAY to show their work in Paraguay, focused on eradicating stigma and discrimination based on gender identity, sexual orientation and/or HIV status. General information about HIV and AIDS were presented at the space with a great reception from the attendees.

On June 30th, the National AIDS Program convened a meeting with directors of the main departments, in which Mr. Gaona represented both Vencer and SOMOSGAY as an official delegate from Paraguay. At that meeting, a summary of what was developed in the Symposium was presented, with  main focus on the problems that arise in the two countries (Paraguay and Cuba) regarding the HIV epidemic, followed by a discussion of strategies and interventions that are made from counseling, monitoring, care for PLWHA and interventions in specific populations.

From SOMOSGAY, we reinforce our unwavering commitment to equality, universal access to health care and treatment services for everyone, in order to improve the quality of life for our most affected communities in order to ensure a Paraguayan society free of stigma and discrimination.