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Ratrish Saha is a transgender woman from Kolkata, India. Even with seven years’ work experience, she was anxious about applying for a new job last year.

At the young age of nine years old, Pawan was told by his doctor that he is HIV positive. He was left in the care of his uncle and his family after both of his parents died from AIDS-related illnesses. “My clothes and cutleries are often segregated, and they would often confine me in certain areas of the house,” Pawan said. “It was difficult because I faced discrimination from my family. I… Read More

Universal screening of HIV and Syphilis among pregnant women is now a policy being implemented by the Government of India. Preeti Sudan, the newly appointed Health Secretary has directed the national health sector towards the urgent need to strengthen strategies for scaling-up testing services for HIV and Syphilis at both public and private health care centres in the country for early detection and treatment of all found positive. The prevention of parent-to-child… Read More

New law bans discrimination against people living with and affected by HIV in India NEW DELHI, 11 April 2017—UNAIDS welcomes a new law passed by the Indian Parliament providing strong legal protection against HIV-related discrimination.

Veena has been living with HIV for more than 15 years and works as a community educator in Bangalore, India. But she still remembers the day she learned of her HIV-positive status.

Sharmila Nair designs and retails saris online. The literature graduate did not know much about the transgender community, but inspired by the Kerala Government in India’s zero discrimination policy towards transgender people, Sharmila decided to launch a collection of saris dedicated to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community with transgender women as models. UNAIDS spoke to Sharmila about how fashion can promote social change. (The views and opinions expressed in… Read More

Daina from India is a young transgender woman, who is a first year Bachelor of Information Science student. Only 20-years-old, Daina has experienced, poverty, discrimination, sex-work and abuse, but today Daina stands strong. During a workshop organized by Youth Voices Count in Bangkok, Thailand, UNAIDS spoke to Daina about her struggles, how she overcame them and where she is today. (The views and opinions expressed in interviews or commentaries are those of… Read More