The HIV2020 Conference was initiated as an alternative to the AIDS 2020.The AIDS 2020 was to be held in U.S.A, a country that prohibits in law the entry of sex workers. The Key Population key partners namely Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) Global Network of People living with HIV(GNP+), International Network of People who Use Drugs (INPUD) and MPACT all came together in solidarity to magnify the voices of the excluded by organizing the HIV 2020 online.
The HIV2020 Conference is programmed as a series of 2-hour sessions which started in July and will end in October. It will then be concluded by sharing what was learnt and also the highlights from the virtual event on World AIDS Day 2020 in December.
Ruth Morgan, The Global Coordinator of the Global Network of Sex Work Projects (NSWP) and Phelister Abdalla, the National Coordinator of the Kenya Sex Workers Alliance (KESWA) joined in the HIV 2020 Online opening plenary. Ruth Morgan said “HIV 2020 Online is a protest: it’s time for change, to change the powers that be,that fail to enter into a meaningful conversation and listen to the voices of the communities most impacted by HIV.
Phelister Abdalla, Kenya Sex workers Alliance (KESWA) National Coordinator said, ‘’We started Kenyan sex-workers movement due to the frustration, violence and no access to essential services, it seemed like death was our portion, we kept losing about 20 sex workers in a span of one month.
Please find the HIV 2020 online July recap here:
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