Anti- gay stance hampering HIV research efforts

These two areas, among other minority groups, were key drivers of HIV and AIDS. Researchers said they was need for the nation to prioritise them and have national campaign programmes targeted at the two issues.

Zimbabwe AIDS Network National Director Lindiwe Chaza-Jangira said the gays and lesbians as well as the drug injectors were HIV&AIDS drivers who should not be ignored in the research.

She said it was disturbing to note that researchers had not highlighted these groups as key priority areas in their research because of the criminalisation of the activities associated with gays, lesbians and drug injecting communities.

Given the fact that these areas are criminalised here in the country as researchers we are finding it difficult to include it in the research document which we are going to submit to the government which is anti-homosexual activities, she told delegates attending an HIV and AIDS National Partnership Forum in Harare last Friday.

Research Advisory Committee (RAC) Chair Professor S Rusakaniko said the homosexual community was one of the vulnerable groups whose data needed to be included in the national HIV and Aids policy document although its contribution to the risk was not all that serious.

Its true that in Zimbabwe the rule of law is intolerant to the issue of homosexuality but in the research we are carrying out which we are taking from a scientific perspective is it a priority area to be given urgent attention at the moment in the country. Could we now get resources to support research in that area when we have other competing HIV and Aids drivers?

We know it exists and we are not undermining it but we are also looking at resources we are having at the moment, in addition to the politics of the land which I cannot comment on and refer you to policy makers.

President Robert Mugabe has in the past described gays and lesbians as worse than dogs.

In the current constitution view gathering process Zanu (PF) is lobbying for the exclusion of gay and lesbians rights in the supreme document of the law.

Partners in the fight against HIV and Aids are working on a research document citing priority areas which they are going to present to government to be adopted as a policy.

The research document was supposed to have been produced in 2008 but is yet to be finalised as it was affected by hyperinflation which rendered useless the countrys Zimdollar currency and brought the economy on its knees before the formation of the inclusive government in February 2009.

RAC, which is responsible for the research is revising some of the issues which were put in 2008 which are now out-dated. It is hoped the document will be completed before the end of this year.