On May 27th, new draft language was released for the 2016 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS, which is scheduled to be finalized in New York City next week (Wednesday, June 8 to Friday, June 10) at the United Nations. MSM and sex workers communities worldwide are deeply concerned with numerous changes made in the new draft, which erase key populations from the global HIV response and urge all stakeholders to take bold and fast actions now to influence decisions made by UN delegation members.

Concentrated HIV epidemics occurs in all countries worldwide. According to UNAIDS, 90% of all HIV cases are revealed among key populations and their sexual partners.

At the same time the 14,000-word document that includes over 76 discrete points, men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who use and/or inject drugs and transgender people are only mentioned in two points out of 76. Moreover, some critical references to men who have sex with men, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and transgender people (recognized by UNAIDS, WHO, and the Global Fund to be key populations based on global epidemiological evidence) have been removed or weakened throughout the document. Examples of this include.

NSWP, MSMGF and the Global Platform to Fast-Track the HIV and Human Rights Responses Among Gay and Bisexual Men and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men will be represented at the High-level Meeting in New York City next week to raise these concerns with UN country delegations and strongly encourage advocates and allies to a series of action, including a social media campaign.

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