51st PCB - Intervention by Gastón Devisich - Agenda item 10 "HIV and men, in all their diversity, how can we get our responses back on track?"

Delivered by Gastón Devisich, Latin America and the Caribbean, on behalf of the NGO Delegation

Thank you, Moderator.

Before getting to our wonderful intervention, I would like to thank the wonderful female speakers, who so kindly have mansplained manhood to us.

We have missed the mark and I wonder what would have happened should it have been the other way around having a predominantly men panelist addressing the needs of women being left behind. This only proves that this is not a matter of just gender or misogyny but one of ownership. Allowing people to speak out for themselves is an issue we need to work on.

The NGO Delegation commends the celebration of this very needed Thematic Segment.

This is an opportunity to shed light to those who have no voice, but not because they can’t speak but because they are not listened to. People who our societies often wish not to see, people who are made responsible for their outcomes, who have it coming for stubbornly “choosing a way of life they could easily avoid”. They resist and for that they’re made to pay. They’re to blame for their failures, while the system takes pride in any of their accomplishments.

This is also an opportunity to learn. But in order to incorporate knowledge, space needs to be made for it. We can’t learn when we are convinced we already know it all. The course of the HIV response won’t be corrected by repeating the same mistakes again and again and expecting a different result. Today, we got to hear how men in all their diversities are stepping up to the challenge and setting the example themselves . They are survivors, but not because of overcoming HIV but for navigating poor health-systems that are actively trying to exclude them on a daily basis.

Nonetheless, getting the HIV response back on track depends on much more than having these experiences highlighted, it requires the commitment of all of us in this room to do better and really be there for those who need it. We need to do what it takes to tackle the societal barriers that are distancing these and all people from accessing the quality of life we deserve.

But now, if you want to program for men being left behind, summon us. Invest in us, perform research with us, prioritize us. Involve us meaningfully in your interventions addressing us across their design, development, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and dissemination.

We need you walking side by side with us. Here, throughout the Joint Programme and in every single country.

Thank you,

Tags: 51st PCB Meeting