International Centre on Advocacy for the Right to Health (ICARH) (also known as Alliance Rights Nigeria) is an independent research initiative established in 1999 to contribute to policy issues affecting the rights of sexual minorities and people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) in Nigeria. The organisation works through research, analysis, training, awareness campaign development and advocacy to promote the interests of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and trans-gendered (LGBT) persons and advance the eradication of various forms of persecution, violence, stigma, and discrimination in Nigeria.
Communication Strategies:
The International Centre on Advocacy for the Right to Health’s (ICARH) education package includes technical support enabled by the International HIV/AIDS Alliance (IHAA) and is part of the support for community-based organisations (CBOs) and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working in the area of HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, and sexuality in the South West States of Nigeria. ICARH works to:
- conduct research into national laws affecting sexual minorities in Nigeria;
- organise conferences, seminars, workshops, meetings, and open debates on issues concerning men who have sex with men (MSM), LGBT, and commercial sex workers in Nigeria;
- develop the capacity as a monitoring organisation to other developing bodies implementing intervention activities as it relates to sexual minorities and PLWHA in Nigeria;
- embark and carry out sensitization workshops and seminars to create awareness of the link between human rights and HIV/AIDS as it relates to sexual minorities, with the aim of reducing discrimination and stigmatisation;
- liaise with government and research institutions to find solutions to the problem of HIV/AIDS and human rights violations and to publish occasional reports on these violations; and
- provide networking and collaboration opportunities with other non-governmental organisations with similar objectives.
Some of ICARH's programmes include the following:
- Well-being in Difference Workshops and seminars
- The Gay and Lesbian adolescent sexuality education series
- Men-Alive support groups for Positive Living
- The Alliance AIDS Initiative: HIV/AIDS Prevention education, care and support for and with MSM
- MSM round tables on sexuality, sexual health and rights
- Nigerian sexual minorities conferences
- The Nigerian LGBT Pride and Carnival (Black-Gold Pride)
- Legal Aid
The organisation has also carried out a participatory community assessment (PCA) with a broad representation of MSM in Ibadan, Nigeria, including those living with HIV/AIDS to determine their knowledge of, and attitude to HIV/AIDS/sexual transmitted infections (STIs), and their access to care and support services. In addition, it provides HIV/AIDS prevention education for men who have sex with men.
Development Issues:
HIV/AIDS, Health, Sexual Minorities
Key Points:
The organisation's goal is to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS amongst MSM and to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS within the MSM community in Ibadan metropolis.
Partner Text:
Center for the Right to Health (CRH), RENEGAIDS, Male Attitude Network (MAN), ILGA, The Independent Project (TIP), The Mens Health Network, The Sexual Minorities Against AIDS in Nigeria (SMAAN).
Source:
Nigeria-AIDS eForum on August 16 2004 and ICARH website on March 24 2009.