ECOM — Eurasian Coalition for Health, Rights, Gender and Sexual Diversity

🏙️ ECOM at Fast-Track Cities 2024: LGBT Health Coordinator Nikolay Lunchenkov MD, MSc presented research at this global conference focused on accelerating HIV response efforts and enhancing LGBT community health. Participating in such events offers the opportunity not only to share unique research but also to strengthen international cooperation toward equal access to healthcare services. Read more about Nikolay’s participation and key findings from his studies in our full article: https://lnkd.in/dqagGapZ

Vitaly Djuma took part in an important meeting with MPact Global Action for Gay Men’s Health and Rights, where global strategies to address homophobia and transphobia as a public health crisis were discussed. This is a significant step in strengthening the presence of LGBTQ activists on the international stage! 💪 Read more about the meeting and the proposed actions for change in our full article: https://lnkd.in/dkzEjVv8

The ECOM team continues to be active in community rights advocacy🏳️🌈 Here is what we have accomplished in recent weeks: 🔵A new article on the motivations and risk perceptions of chemsex in Kazakhstan has been published in the journal "Drug and Alcohol Dependence": https://lnkd.in/dqfC_KfS This article presents the findings of a chemsex study conducted as part of the Robert Carr project which is currently the only study of its kind. 🔵LGBT Health Coordinator, Nikolai Lunchenkov, co-authored the article on the prevalence of MPOX virus antibodies among gay and bisexual men in Berlin. This research is the first and largest study of its kind in Europe: https://lnkd.in/du6eBmWa 🔵EKOM has also submitted alternative reports on Armenia and Kyrgyzstan as part of the Universal Periodic Review in partnership with national partners. 🔵Additionally, EKOM participated in an open discussion on "Perspectives, Challenges, Priorities, and Opportunities in the Eastern European Region" with the UN Independent Expert on SOGI. The meeting, held on October 21, gathered 25 activists from Eastern Europe to discuss trends and barriers that the UN Expert should focus on during their mandate.

📢 New Study Published by Nikolay Lunchenkov MD, MSc: "A Way to Liberate Myself" This is the first qualitative study exploring the chemsex phenomenon among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The research highlights how GBMSM engage in chemsex to cope with minority stress and transcend societal norms. Key Findings: 🔑Chemsex serves as a coping mechanism to overcome societal pressures and break cultural expectations. 🔑Participants are aware of the health risks associated with substance use. 🔑Public health efforts must focus on harm reduction while developing support systems that address the underlying drivers of chemsex. Study: https://lnkd.in/dqfC_KfS

Freedom of Speech and Peaceful Assembly in Moldova: What's Happening in Practice? 🇲🇩 We’re continuing to share insights from our new “Analysis of Moldovan Legislation on SOGI and HIV”. Since 2008, Moldova has had a law guaranteeing everyone the right to peaceful assembly. Starting in 2013, the LGBT community has exercised this right, with events like Moldova Pride 🏳️🌈 However, in practice, there are many obstacles. LGBT events often require heavy police protection due to threats of violence from anti-LGBT groups. For example, the Moldova Pride March in June 2023 took place under strict police security but still managed to gather around 500 participants 🎉 In 2024, things were calmer, though protests continued. Despite the law, violence remains a real threat, and LGBT people face challenges in exercising their right to peaceful assembly 💔 Want to know more about freedom of speech and assembly in Moldova? Read our full analysis: https://lnkd.in/d-ksRw8C

We are continuing to share the experience of the ECOM team! Today, Uluk Batyrgaliev, the coordinator on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), talks about what SRHR services for LGBTQ youth are and why they are important. In this post, you'll find useful tips to help integrate SRHR into the work of LGBTQ organizations.

🔍 Hate Crimes and Hate Speech Investigations in Georgia: Challenges and Barriers We’re sharing the results of our analysis on SOGI and HIV-related legislation. Today, we focus on 🇬🇪 Georgia, specifically the investigation of hate crimes and hate speech. In 2023, Georgia saw a sharp rise in homophobic rhetoric and disinformation targeting the LGBT community. Pro-government media and the ruling party, "Georgian Dream," actively used hate speech, worsening the situation. The Georgian Orthodox Patriarchate also called for laws against "promoting a perverted lifestyle" in response to Tbilisi Pride Week. Although laws criminalize some forms of hate speech, the system for monitoring such cases remains ineffective. Despite the creation of a Human Rights Department in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, authorities still fail to properly respond to hate crimes, allowing far-right groups to act violently without punishment ⚖️ In 2023, the Tbilisi Court of Appeals acquitted individuals who attacked LGBT community members, sparking protests from human rights organizations. This highlights the urgent need for systemic changes to protect LGBT people from discrimination and hate. Read the full analysis of hate crime investigations in Georgia on our website: https://lnkd.in/d2jv29my

Where do LGBT youth get information about sexual and reproductive health? This spring, ECOM launched a survey among LGBT youth on sexual and reproductive health, and we’d like to share some interesting findings from the results. According to the survey, the most common sources of information for LGBT youth are "social media" (66.3%) and "online forums" (48.4%). The least common sources are "family" (4%) and "educational websites" (12.6%). Other answers included "NGOs and community groups" (34.7%), "peers" (33.7%), and "books" (21.1%). Check out the infographic below to see the breakdown of information sources 👇🏾 This survey provided us with valuable insights into youth sexual education, and ECOM plans to continue research in this area in the future.

Criminalization of HIV Transmission in Kazakhstan: Challenges and Consequences ⚖️ We continue sharing results from our analysis of laws related to SOGI and HIV, and today we focus on Kazakhstan, specifically the criminalization of HIV transmission and its impact 🇰🇿 HIV transmission in Kazakhstan is regulated by Article 118 of the Criminal Code, which holds individuals criminally responsible for creating the risk of infection or transmitting HIV to another person. While the law allows for exemption if the person was informed and voluntarily accepted the risk, there have been 13 convictions under this article between 1998 and 2022. Criminalizing HIV transmission harms the rights of people living with HIV (PLHIV). The fear of prosecution discourages people from disclosing their status, getting tested, and seeking treatment. This increases stigma and isolation, leading to a breakdown in social connections and a lower quality of life for PLHIV. Want to learn more about how these laws affect the rights of PLHIV in Kazakhstan? 📖 Read the full analysis on our website: https://lnkd.in/dngya-RJ

The ECOM team continues to be active in community rights advocacy🏳️🌈 Here is what we have accomplished in recent weeks: 🟣 ECOM continues to document cases of violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity, and HIV status. Over the past three months, 184 cases were registered across five countries (Armenia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan). In 16 cases, the situation was fully resolved in favor of the victims, and in 42 cases, it was partially resolved thanks to the work of our monitors. 🟣 ECOM submitted a report on Kazakhstan as part of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR). Additionally, ECOM, together with national partners, is preparing alternative reports for the UPR on Armenia and Kyrgyzstan. 🟣 On September 26, ECOM held a webinar for monitors on documenting human rights violations, where we presented a guide for monitors to use in the field: https://lnkd.in/dSG-jSvF 🟣 The advocacy process for the results of community-led PrEP monitoring (CLM) has concluded in three countries: Armenia, Georgia, and Moldova. This advocacy led to the inclusion of CLM in national protocols and other regulatory documents as one of the additional methods for evaluating PrEP program effectiveness. 🟣 ECOM has started collecting data in 14 EECA countries on the needs of LGBTQ youth regarding SRHR (sexual and reproductive health and rights): https://lnkd.in/dMw3VUzu 🟣 As part of technical assistance, strategic planning was conducted for the initiative group TRaM: trans* migrants in the Baltic States.