Introduction

The 10th Community of Practice convened as a hybrid event during the 25th International AIDS Conference, in Munich, Germany. The session brought together a diverse group of stakeholders to address the critical issue of harmful laws and their impact on HIV prevention.

‍‍Objectives

• ‍‍Summarize the evidence about the role of the legal environment in facilitating or harming HIV prevention efforts with key population
• Share evidence about strategies that have been used to reform or mitigate the impact of discriminatory and harmful laws or policies
• Understand the tactics and approaches that country governments and key population-led organizations are adopting to address harmful laws in their respective countries.

Proceedings

Clemens Benedikt from the Global HIV Prevention Coalition (GPC) extended a warm welcome to all attendees. Parinita Bhattacharjee from the SSLN provided essential logistical information for the hybrid format. Angeli Achrekar from UNAIDS and Dr. Mandeep Dhaliwal from UNDP delivered insightful opening remarks, setting the stage for the discussions to follow.

Kevin Osborne and Belice Odamna from UNDP presented a comprehensive overview of the detrimental effects of harmful laws on HIV prevention efforts. Their presentation highlighted the urgent need to address these legal barriers to effective HIV response.

The session delved into country-specific experiences with harmful laws. Representatives from the Sisonke team (South Africa), Sriram Sridhar (MIST LGBTQ Foundation, India), and Ganna Dovbakh (Eurasian Harm Reduction Association) shared their challenges and successes in addressing these laws. Their firsthand accounts provided valuable insights into the diverse contexts in which these issues manifest.

The session then focused on South-South learning and the backlash against key populations, with KP networks sharing their strategies. Andrew Spieldenner (MPact Global) provided insights, and Dr. Dhaliwal facilitated discussions. The event concluded with key takeaways from Dr. Dhaliwal and closing remarks by Angeli Achrekar.

Resources

Access the recording and presentation materials from this session for further insights and information.

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