Editorial: let’s forget our pockets

By Mashilo Mnisi (BTM Editor)

SOUTH AFRICA – June 7, 2007: Today the Aids Conference in Durban – South Africa – will delve into HIV/ Aids prevention and measures among the marginalised groups in the country including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) communities.

A few months ago, government introduced a five-year plan to operate until 2011 working towards averting and curbing HIV infections – for which the LGBTI people are included in the plan – where 50 percent of reduction in infections is envisaged.

What’s baffling is the way of implementation and inclusiveness or rather involvement of constituencies, especially those directly affected and infected. It is indeed very tentative and dreary to think of attaining the goal of the plan with the ongoing unison among stakeholders in this process. And it seems as if this task is being accompanied by greed and self-centeredness.

Youth – and to some extent LGBTI people are greatly affected – but they’re not literally involved. If the greatly affected individuals would be mobilised and given a podium to talk about the real issues affecting them, that would be taking some steps further in combating the disease unlike if only experts and stakeholders in the related fields do take leads.

Of course there’re organisations involving youth and other marginalised individuals such as LoveLife, Khomanani just to mention a few, but their work doesn’t obviously and really infiltrate down to the targets who suffer the most.

It is high time – if government wants to successfully fight the pandemic – that stakeholders in the fight against Aids shift focus from money and arrogance, and face the realities of HIV/ Aids without discriminating against anyone – also by providing space for new and fresh ideas and individuals from all sectors and communities, whether disabled, gay or young.

In that way, the 2011 target may be achieved, even if not entirely.