Supporting populations key to the epidemic to play a part in Peru’s HIV response
31 January 2007
Populations affected by and most vulnerable to the HIV epidemic in Peru are playing a central role in Vía Libre’s HIV/AIDS Advocacy with Key Populations project. People with HIV, sex workers, gay and bisexual men and transgendered people are organising and undertaking advocacy work at regional and national levels and strengthening their skills at the same time. Presenting themselves as organised working groups has been essential for opening up spaces for direct dialogue with the authorities and allowed key populations to draw attention to their needs and get them onto the agenda.
In recent years, people with HIV in Peru have made real progress in participating in processes as organised groups, especially in the capital Lima, leading to policies on treatment and care for people with HIV. However, other vulnerable populations have not had the same success and there is a real need for increased awareness around prevention needs. Vía Libre’s advocacy project seeks to involved these people in decision-making through their proactive and sustained participation.
The Alliance has been supporting Vía Libre with this project since 2005. Moves are also underway for Vía Libre to become an Alliance linking organisation – a process which will hopefully be signed of by mid-February 2007.
Find out more about the project and the experiences of Freddy Cahuina Ramos and Diana Quispe Pari, treasurer and secretary respectively of the Lazos sin Fronteras working group on HIV/AIDS advocacy with key populations in Arequipa.
