Human Rights Archives - India HIV/AIDS Alliance

We Count – Standing up for those that matter

New Delhi- “It’s time for each of us to step up for human rights. There is no action that is too small: wherever you are, you can make a difference. Together, let’s take a stand for more humanity.” – Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, UN High

For the people, of the people, by the people: Toward self-managed treatment for PWUD

Today, thousands of people who use drugs (PWUD) in India benefit from harm reduction services. There are over 150 NGO-operated Opioid Substitution Therapy (OST) centres in the country. In addition, OST services in government hospitals have recently

We Live on a Rainbow: IDAHOT 2015

“None of us should face discrimination based on what we are or whom we love.” — Max Baucus, US Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, 2014 Since the Indian Supreme Court’s judgment in April 2014 recognizing the rights of the countr

Too Miniscule for Human Rights and Basic Dignity?

“…a miniscule fraction of the country’s population constitute lesbians, gays, bisexuals or transgenders…” From the Supreme Court of India’s ruling in December 2013 upholding Section 377 of Indian Penal Code and re-criminalizing homosexua

Gone with the Wind: A Year of Rights for Transgenders

On April 15th 2014, India witnessed a historic victory for the Third Gender movement. The Supreme Court of India recognized transgenders as the “Third Gender” and protected our rights. The Court gave specific directions to central and state gove

Treat Me with Respect!

An HIV-positive MSM commented during a Pehchan-supported study on discrimination and stigma in healthcare settings: “I went to a government hospital. The doctor did not treat me well when he learned about my HIV status. He looked at me like I had

The Visibility of Who We Are

We have all read that we need to treat transgenders like everyone else…but do you? Every day transgenders and hijras are heckled, cornered, disowned by their families and thrown out on the streets. The journey towards living openly and authentical

Roobina’s Republic

In the bitter cold of January 20th, Roobina, a young woman, was forced to deliver her baby on a pavement in Bhopal because she was not able to pay the thousand-rupee bribe allegedly demanded at a free government-run hospital. The baby boy died minu

I’m a Gay Man, and I am Not a Criminal

You don’t always have to commit a crime to be treated as a criminal in India; sometimes just being yourself will suffice. When two cops saw me all alone in Nehru Park, it was past closing time. The park is a well-known cruising point among gay men

First Anniversary of India’s Gay Sex Ban: LGBT community gathers to protest human rights violations

The Supreme Court of India recriminalised same-sex sexual behaviour on 11 December 2013. The consequences of this judgment have been multiple and far-reaching. Over the past year, this ruling has increased the vulnerability of gender and sexual min

It’s not about us and them – If it affects a few, it affects us all

It was an eventful Sunday evening. I had just returned from the Pride walk in Delhi. The colours and slogans of the day were still fresh in my head when I turned on the TV. Normal Heart was playing and it could not have been better timed. Today,

An HIV-free Future for Every Child

India celebrates Children’s Day every November 14th. It is a day dedicated to children in memory of India’s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru. To mark Children’s Day 2014, here is a glimpse of the work we do with HIV-positive mothers and t

Truth Prevails: Satyamev Jayate and Me

In a country where most people can’t cope with ‘anomalies’ in sexual and gender identities, Satyamev Jayate has made visible the hidden struggle endured by millions of Indians. An open discussion on national television on alternative sexualitie

It’s Time We Talk about LGBT Rights

In India, far too many lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people live lives of secrecy and shame. Those who reveal their sexual identities or deviate from gender norms face social rejection, economic marginalization, and physical violenc

Out of the Shadows: Women who Use Drugs in India

Women who use drugs are collectively failed by India’s HIV response! This systemic neglect involves government departments, civil society and the private sector. While government programs have done well to address issues of women’s empowerment an

36,656,825 and Counting

In 1983, Larry Kramer wrote an article for the New York Native filled with righteous anger, brilliant insight and, reading it now more than 30 years later, electric prophecy. It began, “If this article doesn’t scare the shit out of you, we&#

United Against Homophobia: Bringing Pehchan’s Human Rights Model to Uganda

“It was my view that homosexuality should be punished harshly in order to defend our society from disorientation.” – Yoweri Museveni, President of Uganda, while signing Anti-Homosexuality Bill into law on February 25, 2014. “While readi

Keep the light on HIV: International AIDS Candlelight Memorial 2014

At least 35 million people are estimated to be living with HIV globally, with more than 2.1 million in India alone. Advancements in antiretroviral treatment (ART) have transformed the lives of people living with HIV (PLHIV). With access to ART, lif

Towards the Right Side of History

As a gay rights activist, I am overjoyed by the recent Supreme Court ruling which gives legal protection to the transgender community. Ever since we heard the news, there has been an outpouring of celebration, joy and relief. The news has made the

Beyond Punishment: A Conversation about the Government of India’s Support for Drug Users

Rajesh Nandan Srivastava, India’s Director of Narcotics Control, was in Vienna last month to attend the High-Level Segment of the 57th Session of the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND). Francis Joseph, Alliance India’s Programme Officer for Ha

Advocating for Stigma-free Healthcare for Female Sex Workers

While conducting community consultations in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh, the Koshish programme team learned that female sex workers (FSWs) in the district faced numerous challenges in accessing healthcare services, including stigmatizi

‘207 against 377’: A Step Towards Reclaiming Our Rights

December 11th, 2013 was a black day in the history of India’s human rights movement. On this day, the Supreme Court of India set aside the historic judgment of Delhi High Court in 2009 and, by affirming the constitutionality of Section 377 of the

Zero Discrimination Day 2014: Ending the epidemic of discrimination against PLHIV in India

March 1 is Zero Discrimination Day. HIV-related discrimination continues to plague the lives of people living with HIV (PLHIV). They are treated in dehumanizing ways, face barriers in accessing basic services like healthcare and education, and are

I did the HIV test: June 1994

It was one of those moments. Alone at home, I looked up the number for a diagnostic lab close by. When I got there, my heart skipped a beat to see the words: ‘HIV ELISA TEST’ jump out at me from the signboard. This was 1994, and I was scared. I w

‘Has anything changed?’ A Decade of International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers was created to call attention to violence and other hate crimes committed against sex workers all over the world. Conceptualised by Dr. Annie Sprinkle, the first annual day was observed in 2

Keeping Violence at Bay in Andhra Pradesh: International Day to End Violence against Sex Workers 2013

“I filed an application for a ration card in the mandal (block) administrative office. The clerk made me come to office 15 times, and every time he slept with me,” rues Meena (name changed), a sex worker from Andhra Pradesh. “Wherever we go –

A Dark Day for India

I am crouched over my work desk at the Naz Foundation (India) Trust, combing through another draft of the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which criminalizes homosexuality. This case will be Naz India

International Human Rights Day 2013: Reflections on Rights Situation of PLHIV and Key Populations in India

Since the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948, there has been a slow but steady expansion of international agreements that promote and protect the rights and dignity of all people everywhere. But even today, peo

The Pain of Being ‘the Other’: How Stigma Fuels HIV/AIDS among People Who Inject Drugs in India

Born in a poor family in a remote district of Haryana, Paul (name changed) learnt from childhood to be by himself. He was dragged to work at the age of 10. It was here, copying older boys, he got into the habit of smoking ganja (cannabis). Soon his

What Difference Does Discrimination Make? Reflections for World AIDS Day 2013

I have just returned from a visit to India to see what is being done in tackling HIV and AIDS. Back at the start of the epidemic in 1986 I was health minister in Britain. We carried out a very high profile public education campaign using television

More or Less Equal: Reflections on Freedom

The Indian Constitution declares that all Indians are granted the Right to Freedom of Speech and Expression. On Independence Day, Shaleen Rakesh explores what freedom means for young Indians struggling to express their sexuality: I am at the barber

Shivananda Khan, OBE (1948-2013)

India HIV/AIDS Alliance remembers the life and achievements of Shivananda Khan, one of South Asia’s leading activists who left an indelible mark on the global LGBT rights movement and did so much to expand the HIV response for sexual minorities al

Confronting Quackery, Demanding Care: India’s Hijras Seek Access to Sex Reassignment Surgery Services

Malika (her name changed) remembers feeling helpless when a government hospital refused to treat her for a painful and dangerous infection that had resulted from her sex reassignment surgery (SRS). Malika is a hijra and her story is not unique. Man

Slow but steady: India’s march to equality for sexual minorities

Over the past five years or so, India has witnessed seismic shifts in matters concerning the human rights of sexual minorities. Despite being stymied by right-wing groups cutting across religious lines, the Government of India has stood by its comm

International Women’s Day 2013: Empowering Women Living with HIV

International Women’s Day was first officially observed in 1911 and remains an annual opportunity to call for change and celebrate the many acts of courage and determination by ordinary women who play an extraordinary role in the world’s fu

Changing a Habit of Addiction in the Land of the Gods

Uttarakhand’s natural beauty has captivated tourists and residents alike for centuries. Wildlife and nature enthusiasts, pilgrims, and even those wanting an escape from city life have turned to the serenity of Uttarakhand’s lush green mountains,

From Inequality to Inclusion: Recognizing the Vulnerabilities of Sexual Minorities in the Response to the Delhi Gang-Rape

The Justice J.S. Verma Commission stresses that the word ‘sex’ in the Constitution of India should be understood to include sexual orientation. (Photo © 2012 Peter Caton for India HIV/AIDS Alliance) Convened in the aftermath of the horrific gang