NEW YORK, October 15, 2012—Building upon its successful MSM
Initiative, amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, on Monday launched the GMT
Initiative, aimed at curbing the HIV/AIDS epidemic among gay men, other men who
have sex with men (MSM), and transgender individuals—collectively referred to
as “GMT.”
The new name reflects a more strategic focus for the program
and an opportunity to capitalize on recent advances in the science of reducing
HIV vulnerability among GMT. It also recognizes that, since its inception in
2007, the program has not confined itself solely to MSM.
“For more than five years, amfAR’s MSM Initiative has been a
global leader in confronting the AIDS epidemic among gay men, other men who
have sex with men, and transgender individuals —populations disproportionately
affected by the epidemic in every corner of the world,” said amfAR CEO Kevin
Robert Frost. “In renaming the initiative, we are also recommitting ourselves
to achieve broader long-term results. Our central goal is to help create an
AIDS-free generation among gay men, other MSM, and transgender individuals.”
Since launching the MSM Initiative in July 2007, amfAR has
made 184 Community Awards totaling more than US$3.3 million to support 140
frontline organizations serving GMT in 72 countries. As the program evolved, many
awards went to groups focusing exclusively on transgender individuals, said GMT
Initiative Director Kent Klindera.
“We’re taking the best of what we’ve learned during the past
five years and applying that knowledge, as well as new science, to have a
greater impact on the global AIDS epidemic,” Klindera said. “We’re
strengthening our program to challenge public health and other social service systems
to better serve the needs of GMT, while continuing to support vibrant
community-led programming. We know from experience that larger, systemic
changes are best achieved through empowering local communities.”
The GMT Initiative will focus on several core areas:
- Funding and more formally evaluating combination
HIV program models that can be scaled up
- Emphasizing the connection between rights-based
advocacy and successful service delivery
- Supporting targeted advocacy to influence
government and donor policies
- Strengthening the capacity of GMT-led
organizations to collaborate with and expand access to appropriate
government-funded HIV programs
- Supporting epidemiological, resource tracking,
and other research to advocate for GMT-related health services
Like its predecessor, the GMT Initiative will continue to award
grants and build the capacity of community organizations working to decrease
the spread of HIV/AIDS in five regions: Africa, Asia and the Pacific, the
Caribbean, Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and Latin America. Community groups
use the funding for a wide array of projects, including programs that focus on
changing attitudes, building skills of health providers to better serve GMT, promoting
testing and other interventions that maximize the benefits of HIV medications, and
working with local government officials to increase attention to HIV in these
populations and to change laws that criminalize same-sex sexual behavior. The GMT Initiative is supported in part by Aids
Fonds of the Netherlands, the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the Ford Foundation,
the Levi Strauss Foundation, and ViiV Healthcare Positive Action.
HIV prevalence is high for GMT around the world. A July 2012
analysis published in The Lancet shows
that 25 percent of gay men and other MSM in the Caribbean are living with HIV,
while 18 percent of MSM in Africa are infected. The few existing studies of
transgender women have shown HIV prevalence of up to 68 percent in some
countries. Additionally,
in much of Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the highest rates of HIV infection
in any risk group are among GMT.
According to a
January 2012 analysis by amfAR and the Center for Public Health and Human
Rights (CPHHR) at Johns Hopkins University, funding to address the epidemic among
GMT is grossly insufficient, and resources intended for this population are
often diverted away from GMT-related services.
“There is a real need for the kind of work the GMT
Initiative is funding,” Klindera said. “We’ve already made a tremendous impact
through our MSM Initiative, and we hope our new focus through the GMT
Initiative will save more lives, change policies, and help stop the spread of
HIV/AIDS.”
About amfAR
amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research, is one of the
world’s leading nonprofit organizations dedicated to the support of AIDS
research, HIV prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound
AIDS-related public policy. Since 1985, amfAR has invested more than $366
million in its programs and has awarded grants to more than 2,000 research
teams worldwide.