Recently in Kyiv Ukraine's LGBT community has held the final forum of the passing 2009 year, telling to the audience about its rises and falls and plans in the forthcoming 2010, reports www.ugay.ru. Its participants represented all regions of Ukraine and autonomous Crimean Republic. This event had financial support of Int'l Alliance against HIV/AIDS representative Office to Ukraine.
That forum summed up the results of Ukrainian LGBT NGO's activities in the passing year, including the data obtained from the three major researches conducted - on same-sex partnerships; on HIV prevalence among Ukraine's MSM (MSM - men practising sex with other men); on MSM needs in social and medical services.
"In some countries of the West men practising sex with other men are the main HIV risk group. In our country that way is the third on the list of HIV positive cases. The supposed stabilization of HIV spreading among gay and bisexual men tied up with improved during the last two years knowledge about ways of becoming HIV positive, enlarging field of preventive programmes and more sensitive HIV testing equipment could confirm the effectiveness of our job", reported Inna Schwab (IAAIDS's specialist for Ukraine).
"The 2009 was fruitful for us in many ways, - noted Laima Gaydar, the head of "Women's Network" (a feminist-lesbian organization) - first, Ukraine's LGBT Network became stronger, there are 21 registered LGBT organizations and more than 20 informal unions of gays, lesbians and bisexuals, 25 HIV testing and caring outlets that give social and medical services for people who prefer same-sex relations. Second, we detect the rise of tolerance toward homosexual people among political leaders of Ukraine and third - the level of anti-gay rhetoric of religious organizations significantly decreased. The negative side is the rise of anti-gay crime and gay-hate terror from ultra-conservative groups on the ground of hatred to homosexual citizens".
"In 2009 the scope of UN agencies work in Ukraine with LGBT community has significantly increased", said Zoryan Kys, a consultant of the HIV/AIDS department of UNDP Office to Ukraine. Svyatoslav Sheremet, the leader of Ukraine's Gay Forum summed up that in 2010 year he would be looking for positive political shifts toward LGBT community from the authorities elected. "Civil equality for all is our goal", he stressed.
For reference: On September 22nd, 2009, the members of the Ukrainian gay movement unveiled a Resistance Plan for counter discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation or gender identity, consisting of 109 planks to be fulfilled by the elected Ukrainian authorities.
Translated by Yerdna Bananes