According to the executive director of a Zambian organization working with gay men and sex workers, most of the people assisted before the aid cuts would not seek out replacement services. When they seek services from faith-based facilities, he said: “they are always hitting us back with the reformatory approach to identity, sexuality, and choice of work. So it becomes difficult to encourage someone to go there where you feel they’ll be discriminated against based on who they are or what they do.”
Date: 5/26
Region: Africa
Country: Zambia
Topic: Health, Gender Equality & Inclusion
Policy Lens: Global Health Security
Entry Type: Field Observation
Additional Context: Reporting for Devex, Andrew Green looks into how the new America First Global Health Strategy cuts off U.S. support to local organizations to fight HIV, except for faith-based organizations. This quote is attributed to Martin Zimba, the executive director of the Key Populations Alliance of Zambia, or KPAZ, which helps vulnerable communities, including gay men and sex workers. With homosexual activity illegal and sex work partially criminalized in Zambia, people are afraid they might be arrested if they visit a government-run facility. New funding from the U.S. government has primarily been given to faith-based organizations, which is seen as a barrier to many of the key populations formerly able to access services.
Source: Devex