Public awareness and sensitization campaigns are at the base of enthusiastic public response WACHA is implementing a project entitled “Dare to Care about Equality” aimed at improving social attitudes towards LGBTQI+ persons., WACHA has started engaging Addiction counselors, Clinicians; drugs rehabilitation centers administrators, nurses and psychologist grass root leaders (Village Elders) to mitigate stigma and discrimination the LGBT who use drugs experiences in those places. The programs envision help the health providers and local leaders to be able to understand the concept of sexuality in the full context of human rights and how to harmonize the two. We believe this can plays a crucial role in dismantling deeply rooted stigmas and stereotypes attached to diverse sexual orientations and gender identities. Violence and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity are perpetrated in a wide variety of public and private settings against LGBT persons by family members, friends, faith-based community members, police officers, the justice sector, landlords and co-workers, among others. They negatively affect access to health care, education, housing and employment by LGBT persons.

Half the world’s LGBTIQ population is affected by violence, and violence takes many forms: physical (assault, sexual violence), Verbal (Insults, sneers, tropes), economic violence, and other hurtful practices. LGBTQ can’t thrive when they are worried about basic safety. Currently, we are calling for support for the ‘Ending Violence Against Gender Minorities Training Curriculum’ designed to develop a regional strategy to prevent, address, and stop violence against LGBTQ through outcome-based training for the Sheikhs and Priests who will advocate for specific changes in the general community and society.

We believe that voices of faith should be approached as our partners in God’s/Allah’s call to do social justice. When we build positive relationships with our religious leaders, we can encourage them to make just, compassionate decisions and bring their congregation to a similar understanding as their own. Sometimes our commitment to social justice calls on us to challenge structures that keep people in oppression, and we are not afraid to speak boldly against religious-instigated violence against LGBTQ persons. But God’s call to love our neighbors includes the LGBTQ neighbors too, and we believe in respectful, supportive relationships even when — and perhaps especially — we don’t agree.

“Ngarishateja” (Negotiated Treatment Mitigation Initiative (NTMI)

Shaming words such as ‘druggie’, ‘crackhead’, and ‘junkie’ overlook a person’s humanity and strip people of their dignity. But labels are just one of the many ways that people who use drugs experience stigma.

All around the world, damaging narratives lead to discriminatory treatment in healthcare settings, including the denial of basic services that can protect someone from HIV, as well as unfair treatment when it comes to health, employment, and the criminal justice system.

With health interventions on focus Harm reduction for MSM/MSW/LBQ (this is harm reduction strategy customized for to fit needs of MSM/MSW/LBQ) LGBTI WACHA providing LGBTI friendly Addiction counseling, Psychologically Counseling , Psychosocial support, adherence counseling, Motivational Enhancement Therapies(MET) and Health Counseling and Testing for HIV (HTS). People are systematically disadvantaged, or actively excluded, from supportive drug and alcohol services in focusing on opiate use, man traditional drug services do not have the capacity to address the specific drug treatment or support needs of LGBTI people, for whom stimulant use is more common.

A comprehensive, global systematic review recently reported significant challenges faced by LGBTI people in accessing healthcare services in many countries due to heteronormative beliefs imposed by health professionals and due to the impact of punitive health policies that disproportionately affect this population. Indeed, one study found that many LGBTI people seek more tailored support from LGBTI community organizations for substance use management, rather than general providers. 

As Elton John says: “No one should suffer from stigma, fear or lack of access to treatment anymore. Everyone deserves the right to a healthy life.”