As men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be persecuted in many countries, amfAR’s MSM Initiative boosts HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, testing, and treatment efforts

(New York)  At a time when men who have sex with men (MSM) in many parts of the world face increasing levels of homophobic rhetoric and violence, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research on Monday announced a third round of African and Caribbean community awards made through its MSM Initiative. The announcement coincides with IDAHO, the International Day Against Homophobia.

The eight African and seven Caribbean awards, which will provide HIV/AIDS awareness, prevention, testing, and treatment services to front-line groups working with MSM, range from more than $10,000 to nearly $30,000.

Earlier this year in Kenya, peer educators at an HIV clinic in Kenya that serves MSM were beaten by an anti-gay mob that doused several of the educators with kerosene and tried to set them on fire. In Malawi, members of an amfAR partner organization were forced to leave their clinic after it was broken into by anti-gay activists. In Uganda, the country’s legislature has been considering anti-gay laws that would make consensual sex among HIV-positive adults punishable by death.

Read the full article on amfar.org.