If you missed the 13th IAS Conference on HIV Science from 13 to 17 July in Kigali, Rwanda, dont’t worry, you can now check out what happened at some of the sessions.
At the bottom of this page, check the related content to click on the pages from each session.
Here you will find a list with some of the sessions that featured trans and gender diverse activists and allies or have address some of our communities issues, challenges and needs.
It’s important to note that these were not the only sessions relevant to trans and gender diverse attendees. The 13th IAS Conference on HIV Science offers a wide array of discussions, workshops, and presentations that touch on various aspects of HIV/AIDS research, advocacy, and care.
We encourage you to explore the full program to find additional sessions that resonate with your interests and needs.
List of sessions relevant for trans and gender diverse communities:
Community Forum
- Funding cuts, broken futures – Pre-conference session at Community Forum, 13 July from 14:00 to 15:00
Through the first interactive session, the forum analyzed the deepening funding crisis, highlighting the impact on programmes and services while exploring strategies for sustainability.
- Rising against the tide of repression – pre-conference 13 July from 15:15 to 16:15
Examine the policy and programmatic landscape, exposing threats to rights-based responses but also showcasing successful advocacy and creative solutions.
Jota Vargas Alvarado, a trans lwayer and former LGBTI Presidential Comissioner in Costa Rica, presented a case study on Costa Rica
Other Sessions
- Women Know What Works – Celebrating the successes of women living with HIV in the global response – pre-conference 13 July from 14:00 to 15:00
You will hear about sexual and reproductive health and rights in women living with HIV, experiences from women living with HIV in different regions and contexts, and also how HIV affects young women, trans women and sex workers.
Erika Castellanos, GATE’s Executive Director will be speaking about Trans Women with HIV and the Power of Collective Resistance and Gumisayi Bonzo, from Trans Smart Trust Zimbabwe will be speaking on the Effects on HIV and sex work after the Trump stop order in Zimbabwe. In the second part of the session as both took part in the Questions & Answers panel.
- Protecting progress in the HIV response amid the rise of the anti-rights movement – Symposium on 15 July from 15:00 to 16:00
This session examined how the convergence of regressive politics and disinvestment undermines health and dignity while highlighting the urgent need for a unified, rights-based response.
Masen Davis from Funders Concerned About AIDS spoke about the Eroding rights, exacerbating risks: The impact of anti-rights movement on HIV outcomes, and Liberty Matthyse from Gender Dynamix will explore the Resilience & resistance: Advocacy strategies for navigating anti-rights contexts
- “I will not lower my voice: Experiences from trans and gender-diverse” – Oral abstract session on 17 July from 12:15 to 13:15
Cecilia Chung from Transgender Law Center (USA) opened the session and moderated the Questions & Answers. Ekaterina Romanova, from T-Action Transgender Initiative Group, Armenia, spoke on the HIV prevalence, risks, and vulnerabilities of trans and gender diverse people in Saint Petersburg, Russia.
- Rethinking approaches to clinical studies – Symposium on 17 July from 13:45 to 14:45
This session focused on designs to optimize impact, including adaptive Learn-As-you-GO designs, and centering implementation science, social behavioral science and community inclusion in clinical trials.
John Rosadiño, Head of Programs and Innovations at LoveYourself, Inc. in the Philippines spoke on Building inclusive trials
