Uganda’s Anti-Gay law could halt HIV/ AIDS programs among sexual minorities | A Call to Action by Spectrum Uganda Initiatives By Melanie Nathan, January 05, 2013. During 2013 Spectrum Uganda Initiatives Inc. provided health care and related services to Uganda’s LGBTI and HIV/AIDS community. The group reached close to 500 men who have sex with … More Concern as Uganda’s Anti-Gay law impacts HIV AIDS programs
Dec 07, 2013. It is with great sadness and a profound sense of loss that we learn of the passing of Mr Nelson Mandela at his home in Houghton on 5 December. We join the many millions of people across the world in expressing our condolences to his family, to South African nation and the … More ICASA Statement of the passing of former President Nelson Mandela
On International Transgender Day of Remembrance ZIMBABWE’S GALZ Pays Tribute to Naoimi Posted by Melanie Nathan, Nov. 20, 2013. We pay tribute to Naomi, Zimbabwe’s very own trans woman who championed the struggle for LGBTI rights in so many ways. She came out at a time when there was very little to no information on … More Transgender Day of Remembrance |Remembering Naoimi
Outrage as basic rights are infringed By Melanie Nathan, November 15, 2013. Samuel K. Ganafa, Executive Director of Spectrum Uganda Initiatives and Board Chairperson of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), was arrested on Tuesday November 12, 2013. He had reported to Kasangati Police Station on the outskirts of Kampala pursuant to a phone call from the … More Outrage in Ugandan LGBT Community as Activist Faces Possible Life in Prison
Five men detained without cause By Melanie Nathan, November 14, 2013 Samuel K Ganafa, The Executive Director of Spectrum Uganda Initiatives and Board Chairperson of Sexual Minorities Uganda (SMUG), was arrested on Tuesday November 12, 2013. He had reported to Kasangati Police Station on the outskirts of Kampala pursuant to a phone call from the … More Unlawful Arrest of Ugandan LGBT Executive Director
By Melanie Nathan, August 20, 2013. In an unconscionable gross misrepresentation and twist of wording the press in the African country Ghana is seizing on the words of the UNAIDS (United Nation’s AIDS Organization) to further demonize homosexuality and local LGBTI people. Following a conference in Abidjan Cote D’Ivoire, as reflected in the example of … More Ghana Press misrepresents UNAIDS blaming AIDS and HIV on Homosexuality
By Cathy Kristofferson, May 25, 2013 Update May 26 – Video add down below We reported earlier here on OBLOGDEE about Ukraine’s 1st ever Gay Pride March happily occurring despite multiple political attempts to derail it. The folks in Moscow were not so lucky. Today in the Russian capital of Moscow, activists and opponents clashed in an unsanctioned … More Moscow Gay Rights Rally ends in violence and arrests
The fate of HIV or the fate of Waragi By Melanie Nathan, May 21, 2013. KAMPALA – As Uganda counts a 40% reduction in AIDS-related deaths in the past decade, the Uganda AIDS Commission (UAC) wants Government to levy a special tax on alcohol and cigarette to fund HIV programs. According to UAC Executive Director … More Will Uganda tax booze for HIV programs
This Case could have a huge impact on how Gay people’s rights are impacted in Zambia By Melanie Nathan, May 15, 2013. When Zambian Paul Kasonkomona was arrested and detained some minutes after he spoke on a TV show it was clear to many that a flagrant abuse of personal freedoms had occurred and now … More Zambian activist’s constitutional challenge to homophobic arrest and charges
By Melanie Nathan, May 15, 2013. Today Kasonkomona appeared before the Hon Lemeck Ngambi at Lusaka Magistrates’ Court, charged with “the idle and disorderly offence of soliciting in a public place for immoral purposes.” SBN Legal Practitioners, representing Kasonkomona, filed a constitutional application and so with regard to the criminal case against him, are asking … More Activist’s challenge to Zambia’s Constitution after “hunt down gays” arrest
See the must watch Video – Criminalization of Homosexuality Kills – The link is made between increase in HIV/ AIDS in countries that criminalize homosexuality – Homophobia causes higher HIV/AIDS rates. By Melanie Nathan, March 14, 2o13. Yesterday Conservative Peer Lord Black of Brentwood, led a debate on Criminalization of Homosexuality and how it has caused … More House of Lords calls for decriminalization of homosexuality in Commonwealth because of higher HIV rates
By Melanie Nathan, March 09, 2013. Inkanyiso is a South African website which was conceptualized by internationally renowned photographer, award winning documentary filmmaker and visual activist, Zanele Muholi in 2006. In 2009, Muholi registered the organization with Department of Social Services in South Africa. It was in response to the lack of visual histories and … More Remember Me When I’m gone
“Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Harry have kindly written to us to celebrate 30 years of our fight against HIV,” notes the Terrence Higgins Trust, beside a heartwarming picture on the charity’s website, reminding of their mother, Princess Diana and how she broke barriers by embracing people with HIV and AIDS around … More Princes William and Harry remind us of HIV/AIDS stigma
At the NYC LGBT Community Center – and Visual AIDS present an interactive slideshow with four on-the-ground LGBT artists: Amos Mac, Devin Elijah, Ivan Monforte and Jessica Whitbred, hosted by Sacha Yanow. By Melanie Nathan, Feb 07, 2013. The Center is proud to partner with Visual AIDS to present Positive Assertions: Four Artist Snapshots, an … More VISUAL AIDS PRESENT POSITIVE ASSERTIONS: FOUR ARTIST SNAPSHOTS
Three U.S.A. Charities to benefit from sales of The Mandela Red Ribbon Twin Set Editorial, December 01, 2012. In honoring Worlds AIDS DAY on December 01, The South African Gold Coin Exchange (SAGCE) has chosen three renowned charities based in the United States of America, to benefit from the sale of a newly launched Nelson … More World AIDS DAY | South African Gold Coin Exchange Announces Mandela Collectible Coin’s U.S. Beneficiaries
By Melanie Nathan, November 27, 2012. PUBLIC STATEMENT OF MELANIE NATHAN, COMMISSIONER, Mother, Sister, Daughter, Human Rights Commissioner, Marin County, U.S.A., Family Law Mediator and Human Rights Advocate. Hon. Speaker and Hon. Members of Uganda’s Parliament:- When I was in my early twenties I realized that I was a lesbian. I tried marriage to a … More A Lesbian’s Statement to Uganda’s Parliament and Speaker Kadaga
The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, to remember and honor every Nun of the Above By Melanie Nathan, November 19, 2012. They have supported us for over thirty years and now it is our chance, as the worldwide LGBT community, to show our love and thanks. The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence are creating a unique place … More Support Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence memorial for nuns who have died of AIDS
” Madiba, your time in prison was without any lesson to us, to the rest of Africa, we the Nigerians are giving you the finger!” By Melanie Nathan, November 16, 2012. Nigeria is about to pass legislation that will provide for the arrest, conviction and jailing of all its gay and lesbian people. What lessons … More Nigeria poised to Jail the Gays in defiance of Nelson Mandela
Sudan’s government blamed gay school sex for rising HIV infection rates, while the opposition slam leaders for promoting homosexuality and AIDS by Dan Littauer, 14 November 2012 Teenagers sodomizing younger boys at school is apparently the ‘reason’ for the rapid rise of HIV cases in Sudan’s youth, according to a report broadcasted by the country’s … More Sudan blames gay teen sex for AIDS
By Melanie Nathan, 31 October, 31 2012 Fears are growing over an emerging form of intestinal disease in Africa, to which HIV positive people are particularly vulnerable. Medical experts have expressed concerns that health infrastructures across the continent lack the capacity to detect or cope with the dangerous bacterium. The scientists say that invasive non-Typhoidal … More Lethal Salmonella strain targets HIV positive Africans
South African Gold Coin Exchange, (SAGCE) August 03, 2012 This week, in conjunction with a launch event hosted by The South African Consul General in New York, the South African Gold Coin Exchange (SAGCE) introduced the first ever Nelson Mandela gold and silver Medallions into the United States Market. The special release, launched to commemorate … More Celebrating the Launch of Nelson Mandela HIV/AIDS Medallions in the United States
“We need a new level of openness about how every last dollar is spent by countries, by governments, by NGOs,” Said President Bill Clinton during his closing keynote speech. The Clinton Health Access Initiative through the former president’s foundation in 2010 announced a partnership with the South African government to expand access to HIV testing … More President Bill Clinton AIDS 2012
By Melanie Nathan, July 28, 2012 Thousands of delegates signed the Washington, D.C. Declaration, the official declaration of the XIX International AIDS Conference. The declaration states that we must strive for multi-disciplinary approaches that respect and uphold the human rights and dignity of all people affected by the epidemic and calls for nine concrete actions. … More Watch President Bill Clinton’s Speech at AIDS 2012
While the Question still looms about the criminalization of homosexuality in Africa, Scientific, Political and Community Leaders Call for Collaborative Partnerships and Investments in Research, Treatment and Prevention to Turn the Tide on HIV Melanie Nathan, July 27, 2012 Friday, 27 July 2012 (Washington, D.C., United States) —The global AIDS community concluded its biennial meeting … More AIDS 2012 Ignites Momentum for the Beginning of the End of the AIDS Epidemic
Wednesday, 25 July 2012 (Washington, D.C., United States)—Women are still bearing the burden of the HIV/AIDS three decades into the epidemic and need to be a priority in research, care, treatment at all levels, experts told delegates today at the XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) taking place in Washington, D.C. this week. It estimated that … More AIDS 2012 Turning the Tide for Women, Children and Youth
Dr Paul de Lay, Deputy Executive Director of the UNAIDS Programme said “Every individual should have the right to freedom of movement, regardless of their HIV status. UNAIDS is opposed to any restriction imposed on people living with HIV and restricting movement only on the basis of their HIV status. These restrictions are discriminatory.”
… More AIDS 2012 to Discuss HIV and World Travel Bans
World´s leading HIV/AIDS Scientists and Stakeholders to gather in Washington D.C. to discuss Global Alliance on HIV Cure research. … More World´s leading HIV/AIDS Experts to gather in Washington D.C.on HIV Cure
IAS Presidential Award Honors Prof. Michel Kazatchkine for Visionary and Dedicated Leadership in the Fight against AIDS Posted by Melanie Nathan, July 18, 2012 The International AIDS Society (IAS) honours Prof. Michel Kazatchkine, former Executive Director Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, with the IAS Presidential Award for his extraordinary impact on the … More Fight against AIDS Visionary and Dedicated Leadership Award by IAS for IAC 2012
“AIDS in no longer a disease; it is a human right’s issue,” President Nelson Mandela – South Africa Celebrates Nelson Mandela Day. By Melanie Nathan, July 18, 2012. Capturing the legacy of one of the most influential icons in the world, The South African Gold Coin Exchange (SAGCE) and The Scoin Shop (Scoin) has announced … More The South African Gold Coin Exchange Announces Launch of Nelson Mandela HIV/AIDS Medallion
High level speakers announced for XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) By Melanie Nathan July 17, 2012. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush, South African Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, U.S. Senators John Kerry and Lindsey Graham, U.S. House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi , U.S. Congresswoman Barbara … More Historic Line-up of Speakers for AIDS 2012 in D.C.
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