Sexual health is a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-
being related to sexuality; it is not merely the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity. Sexual health requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, a well as the possibility
of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. For sexual health to be attained and maintained, the sexual rights of all persons must be respected, Protected and fulfilled. World Health Organisation, draft working definition, October 2002.
You can be assured of the support of the United Nations family in your common endeavour to win the battle against HIV among the MSM and transgender communities. If nobody else is there for you – we are here! Dr. Nafis Sadik, Special Advisor to the United Nations Sectretary General and Special Envoy for HIV and AIDS in Asia and the Pacific Opening Address to the Risks and Responsibilities: Male Sexual Health and HIV in Asia and the Pacific International Consultation Meeting, New Delhi , India , 23-26 September 2006.
This website is maintained with the assistance of the European Union. The contents of this website are the sole responsibility of the Naz Foundation International, and can in no way be taken to reflect the views of the European Union.
More information on the European Union can be found on their World web portal, which can be accessed at http://ec.europa.eu/world/. This portal contains links to more specialised sites, with information on the EU’s external relations.
The Naz Foundation International (NFI) is an international non-governmental organisation, thats primary aim is to improve the sexual health and human rights of marginalised males who have sex with males, their partners and families in South Asia and else where. Know more...
Why we must work with MSM and HIV prevention, care and support
It’s the right thing to do on humanitarian grounds
It’s the right thing to do epidemiologically
It’s the right thing to do from a public health perspective
Males who have sex with males (MSM), whether their self-identity is linked to their same sex behaviour or not, have the right to be free from violence and harassment; the right to be treated with dignity and respect; the right to be treated as full citizens in their country; the right to be free from HIV/AIDS; and MSM who are infected with HIV have the right to access appropriate care and treatment equally with everyone else, regardless of how the virus was transmitted to them.
NFI needs your support in its programme work supporting assisting MSM groups, organisations and networks developing their own HIV services, and advocating on their behalf on increasing investment, scaling up service coverage, bridging knowledge gaps, and challenging stigma, discrimination and social exclusion.
A small amount of money can go a long way in providing knowledge, skills and resources to those most at risk of HIV infection, enabling them to develop space spaces for affected and infected MSM to meet and support those most in need. Click here to make a donation
Pukaar -July 2010
The latest edition of Pukaar (July 2010, Issue No 70) the NFI’s quarterly journal focusing on Asian male sexualities and wellbeing is now available:
Contents include:
APCOM governing board meeting
Launch of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law
Homophobia in Indonesia on the rise
Hostility flies in the face of true Koranic teaching
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
Punitive and discriminatory laws
Bihar's shotgun weddings
MSM and mental health
MSM and transgenders right to health
Homophobia in the age of AIDS
The case of the third gender
ESCAP regional call for action to achieve Universal Access
India's gays happy to remain in the closet
Sexuality, citizenship and sexual rights - Part One
NFI, partner with PSI Nepal and UNDP, along with its country partners, Bandhu Social Welfare Society (Bangladesh), India NFI (India), Blue Diamond Society (Nepal) and Companions on a Journey (Sri Lanka) successfully submitted a multi-country MSM and HIV proposal for Round 9 of the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria.
Between 26-28 April, 2010, UNDP Regional Office organised the South Asia Regional GFATM Stakeholder Consultation, bringing together all the proposal partners, Country Coordinating Mechanisms, and country UNAIDS and UNDP representatives to discuss and the implementation strategy for this proposal.
Supporting the scale up of HIV services for males who have sex with males (MSM) in India by strengthening the capacity of MSM community-based organisations and others to address MSM and HIV services.
This is the first annual report of a European Union (EU) supported action. This report refers to the first 12 months of that period, January 2009-December 2009.Click here
Contestations Issue 2// Sexual Pleasure Empowers Women...or does it?
Join the debate between Shivananda Khan, Susie Jolly, Sylvia Tamale, Pinar Ilkkaracan, Sonia Correa, Petra Boynton, and Li Yinhe in this contentious second issue of the Pathways of Women's Empowerment online magazinehttp://www.contestations.net/
UNDP Report
Legal environments, human rights and HIV responses among men who have sex with men and transgender people in Asia and the Pacific: An agenda for actionThe United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) released a study analyzing evidence in Asia-Pacific on how punitive and discriminatory laws and human rights violations limit access to HIV prevention and care services for men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and transgender people. The study report is co-published by the UNDP and Asia Pacific Coalition for male sexual health (APCOM).
