EHRC offers funding to grassroots organisations

Copypasting from Pink News due to its importance. If any reader's got a programme that can be included in these terms, go ahead and seek funding.

A grants programme worth up to £10 million aimed at funding grass roots organisations across all areas of equality was launched by the Equality and Human Rights Commission yesterday.
The funding scheme has developed three areas for priority funding.
Applicants from organisations working to promote good relations, highlight equality and human rights and case work will be encouraged.
Examples include reducing the impact of hate crime, working with the media to promote greater awareness of equality or human rights issues and providing legal advice to victims of discrimination.
In Scotland the Commission is not currently empowered to fund activities promoting human rights but will be able to fund eligible activity to promote good relations, promote equality and carry out casework in Scotland.
Trevor Phillips, chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission said:
"Learning to live together is essential if we are to prosper in these times of rapid change.
"Managing the consequence of this change at a local level is essential.
"I am therefore delighted to be announcing a grants programme of £10 million to harness and nurture grass roots equality and human rights organisations.
"By working in partnership with local and community organisations we will ensure advice and support is delivered into every part of Britain."
The Commission will launch a consultation regarding its permanent funding scheme in April 2008. The results will be announced next year.
The deadline for grant applications is 5pm, February 4, 2008.
Successful organisations will be announced on March 31, 2008 and will be funded for a 12 month period commencing from April 1st.
Awards can be made of up to £120,000 per application.
Application packs along with eligibility, guidance notes, good practice examples and frequently asked questions are available online here.

AIDS - Be Safe

In 1985, December 1st was designated as World AIDS Day. 20 years later, we continue to struggle with this devastating pandemic.
World AIDS Day is about people getting the facts about HIV and AIDS. By becoming informed, we can make safer choices about our behaviors and options.

• If you are sexually active, use a condom.
• Get tested, know your status.
• Facilitate frank and honest discussions with your partner(s). Don’t assume anything.
• If you are infected, there are treatment options available. Talk to your doctor, visit one of the websites below or call an AIDS hotline. There are no stupid questions.
• Help others in the process: Volunteer on a hotline. Deliver meals. Support one of the many wonderful organizations providing preventive education and condoms, as well as client service to those in need.

For additional information – these are but a few of the many wonderful organizations fighting the AIDS battle:
UNAIDS - The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, is the main advocate for accelerated, comprehensive and coordinated global action on the epidemic.
Stop AIDS Project - Internationally recognized as a successful model of grassroots prevention and support, STOP AIDS brings diverse groups together to talk about the challenges and issues posed by HIV/AIDS through neighborhood outreach, workshops and community forums.
amfAR - amfAR's mission is to prevent HIV infection and the disease and death associated with it and to protect the human rights of all people threatened by the epidemic of HIV/AIDS.
Test Positive Aware Network - TPAN empowers people living with HIV through peer-led programming, support services, information dissemination, and advocacy. They also provide services to the broader community to increase HIV knowledge and sensitivity, and to reduce the risk of infection.

Technorati tags: AIDS, World AIDS Day, HIV

World AIDS Day

Need more words?

Technorati tags: World AIDS Day

A Plastic Plate

This is a short by Barakat TV, in their own description: "It is the eid (Sham El Nesem - or Spring Feast) and an Egyptian family is sitting down to have a festive meal. Everyone is asking and inquiring: will he come? Are you going to allow him to come? What are you going to do? Will he bring his guy friend with him? Disapproval and sorrow are manifest on everyone's face. Meanwhile, in front of a mirror, where we hear a voice-over of a young man, talking about wanting to go home for the last time. His mother allowed him to come home. His sisters and his brothers are reluctant. He goes in and there is awkwardness in the air..."

 

Technorati tags: AIDS, Ramadan, LGBT

Oh, Archbishops, those funny fauna.

Oh religion, what a source of laughter. Here in Spain there's a saying: "si no quieres caldo, dos tazas" meaning that when you're not happy with some given situation, it'll go worse. And it proves true.

So I wasn't happy enough with my long-time favorite Primate Akinola, here it comes Archbishop Nzimbi of Kenya demanding that "a halt is not enough" measure from Episcopalian churches in the USA.  Instead, "What we expected to come from them is to repent - that this is a sin in the eyes of the Lord and repentance is what me, in particular, and others expected to hear coming from this church", said Nzimbi.

And as if that wasn't enough to make my day, here comes Catholic archbishop Francisco Chimoio in Mozambique, speaking with BBC:

"Condoms are not sure because I know that there are two countries in Europe, they are making condoms with the virus on purpose. They want to finish with the African people. This is the programme. They want to colonise until up to now. If we are not careful we will finish in one century's time."

I'd better go to bed before bishops in Jamaica start calling the BBC to make further statements.

Technorati tags: Kenya, Mozambique, Archbishop, Religion and Homosexuality, AIDS

Lube against HIV?

Starpharma has announced last week on the International AIDS Society conference in Sydney, Australia, that their sex lubricant called VivaGel allegedly blocks both HIV and HSV-2 genital herpes virus. Trials in humans are being conducted right now in Australia, Kenya and the United States.
Apparently the lube has not been tested with gay males, on the company's site there can be obtained a PDF report on some test conducted with 36 males. Though the lube microbiocidal lube seems to have caused minor dermatological problems on some of the participants, if proven to block from 75% to 100% of viral transmission that's going to be great news. Let's take it with a pinch of salt, however. Read the complete story here.