A three-part series examining the factors that fuel the risk of HIV/AIDS infection within the Netherlands Antilles prison system.

Crisis of the confined:
Sex, prison and HIV

PART I

By Judy H. Fitzpatrick

The popular adage, “you do the crime, you do the time,” may be true, but for John (not his real name), serving time was a worst nightmare come true.

He was incessantly raped, used for sexual exploits by other prison inmates and hadn’t any means of protecting himself from contracting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). He pleaded constantly with Bon Futuro Prison authorities to place him in confinement and away from his abusers, but for a long time no one seemed to be listening.

He was eventually placed in the insanitary ward, but that was only a temporary fix for a chronic problem facing many inmates at the largest penal facility in the Netherlands Antilles - Bon Futuro prison in Curaçao.
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On behalf of several organizations, I would like invite you for the launch of TRANSLATINA, a documentary that paints an alarming and enlightening portrait of the realities faced by transgender women in Latin America. The result of three years of production, more than 100 hours of filming, and interviews with people from 15 nationalities, it provides a realistic look at the challenges faced by transgender women in accessing education, work, justice, health care, and other basic services.

The 90-minute documentary also showcases how transgender organizations in Latin America are starting a dialogue with governments to demand justice and services for transgender women. ... - More

I am currently working with Panos London to compile a list of people and/or projects specialising in participatory communication activities, to accompany their workshop in Vienna.

The list will be distributed at a workshop in Vienna “The Power of Participatory Communication Approaches: Amplifying Voices and Empowering People Affected by AIDS.” The workshop will be run by Siobhan Warrington and Clodagh Miskelly of Panos London for people who want to understand what's involved in implementing participatory communication activities. They will provide examples of different tools and approaches (participatory photography; oral testimony; video; digital storytelling) and discuss the principles, practicalities and ethical issues involved. ... - More

Nyasa Times
Published: February 24, 2010

In these tough economic times it is hard to imagine that MK1800 (about US$13) could be life changing.

However, in Malawi’s central region district of Mchinji, even as little as MK600 is changing lives.

The cash is being given out as part of a government-backed social cash transfer scheme, which is being piloted in the district with financial and technical assistance from the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the National AIDS Commission (NAC).

Teresa Chatsilizika, 45, living in T/A Nyalo in the district is one of the few beneficiaries of this scheme. With a monthly cash transfer of just MK1800, Teresa is now able to feed her family and send her children to school.

And by saving a little each month and investing part of the money in groundnut farming, she has built a new brick house roofed with iron sheets.
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Hi - the Award information that follows is for those of you who are Journalists and are part of his network and/or for everyone involved in this network to please communicate to your journalist friends or colleagues - many thanks.

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) invites entries for their first awards for reporting on international development, soliciting provocative and original stories, compelling alternative narratives, and critiques, and encouraging discussion on development issues and processes. Journalists from around the world are requested to submit their best articles, news pieces, critiques, and editorials that focus on poverty alleviation, democracy and governance, rights, health, and other Millennium Development Goals.

There will be 3 awards: one of UKP 500, and two of UKP 250.

Deadline for submission of articles is July 9th 2010.
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dear friend ,as we are working in rural areas ,we are facing to many problems of this category of people with any information about HIV/AIDS but if we don't do something for them make sure that they will disappear and the food insecurity and cris will will grow so we are inviting you to take care of farmers in our fighting of the diseases. ... - More