An advocacy meeting was held for media personnel on the 25^th of November 2014 at the Renuka City Hotel in Colombo 3. The main purpose of this event was to to provide an overview of the Global Fund Multi Country South Asia HIV project (GF MSA) to the media to cover issues such as stigma and discrimination faced by Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) and transgender persons, to provide an update on the status of HIV in Sri Lanka and to provide a platform to discuss responsible and ethical reporting on issues related to SOGI and HIV.

The participants were educated on understanding  the status of HIV in Sri Lanka and the government and UN commitments towards HIV prevention, understanding the need for civil society to be actively involved in HIV prevention and how gender identities and sexual behaviors are related to this issue. Concerns were also addressed on how  the effects of stigma and discrimination  hinder the provision and  assessment of health services and enlightened them on the importance of ethical reporting and that all people are entitled and should be assured of being treated with dignity and respect.

We were honoured to have the presence of many distinguished facilitators to this event.  Special thanks go out to Dr. S. Liyanage( Director, NSACP), Dr.Ariyarathna Manatunga –(Consultant Venerelogist and Coordinator of Strategic Information Unit, NSACP), Dr. R. Ranatunga (Country Manager, UNAIDS Sri Lanka and Maldives), Mr. Jude Fernando( Exectuive Director, Heart to Heart Lanka), Ms Sakuni (Member, Heart to Heart Lanka) and our own Ms.Thushara Agus ( Executive Director, FPA Sri Lanka) and Ms. Madusha Dissanayake ( Director – HIV & Advocacy Unit, FPA Sri Lanka).