Tag: GALZ

Forced and Cover Up Marriages Driving HIV Infections In Zimbabwe’s LGBTIQ Community

Michael Gwarisa

THE lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer (LGBTIQ) community in Zimbabwe remains one of the hardest hit with new HIV infections due to a myriad of factors chief among them being arranged/forced marriages with heterosexual individuals, homophobia initiated rape and cover up marriages amongst a host of other factors. By Michael Gwarisa Currently there is little information available on LGBTIQ and HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe since the area is still shunned a lot due to institutionalized and societal homophobia, lack of understanding of human sexuality and sexual health…

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COVID-19 disrupts access to SRHR for Zim’s LGBTI Community

Michael Gwarisa

LESBIAN, gay, bisexual, trans and intersex (LGBTI) people may be particularly vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic according to a paper by the United Nations titled COVID-19 and the human rights of LGBTI people. Amongst the LGBTI community are people living with compromised immune systems, including some persons living with HIV/AIDS who also face a greater risk fromCOVID-19. However, the community continues to face massive stigma and discrimination at the hands of health workers and society. With the coming in of the COVID-19, and given an overloaded health system in Zimbabwe,…

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#BREAKING: HIV Prevalence High Amongst Gays and Lesbians In Zim

NewsRoom

AT least 32.8% of Women who have Sex with other Women (WSW) and 28.% of Men who have Sex with other men (MSM) are HIV positive, according to statistics gathered by the Gays and Lesbians Zimbabwe (GALZ). By Michael Gwarisa in Kadoma  Briefing a Meeting on Earmarked Taxes to fund Sexual Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) for Key Populations,  GALZ Programmes Officer, Sylvester Nyamatendedza said accessing basic health needs for key members of their community was a challenge owing to a myriad of factors chief among them being the hatred and discrimination they…

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