We Are Bridging The Gaps

Everyone has the right to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. However, for many people reality is different. Sex workers, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people and people who use drugs are often stigmatised, socially excluded, have limited access to healthcare, and they are among the poorest in society. As a result, they are disproportionally affected by HIV and AIDS. The people presented in this booklet have first-hand experiences when it comes to stigma, discrimination, criminalization, and human rights violations. Just because of who they are, who they love or because of the lives they are living. They are also heroes, committed to achieve the same goal: achieving universal access to HIV/STI prevention, treatment, care and support! Some of them are activists, trying to change policies affecting the human rights and access to healthcare for their communities. Others work with their friends and communities on the ground, by supporting them in getting the healthcare they need. Among them are Elliot (a gay man from a multi-cultural society South Africa), Dayana (a transsexual and sex worker from Costa Rica who deals with a double stigma), Lady (a lesbian from Botswana) and Akber (a gay man who is living with his boyfriend in a closed societry Pakistan).