The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) was honoured with the 2014 Red Ribbon Award for Advocacy and Human Rights at the 20th International AIDS Conference in Melbourne, Australia on Sunday, according to a release yesterday from the Caricom Secretariat
The release said that the award was received by Joel Simpson, Co-chair and Managing Director and Shellon Providence, Member of SASOD.
Director of the Pan Caribbean Partnership Against HIV and AIDS (PANCAP) Coordinating Unit Dereck Springer witnessed the presentation, the release added.
SASOD, the release said, has worked to roll back discriminatory Guyanese laws; change local attitudes about the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community; and end discrimination in the government, workplace and community.
Nine other community-based organisations that have shown outstanding community leadership on AIDS were also honoured in the categories of the prevention of sexual transmission, prevention among/by people who use drugs, treatment, care and support, advocacy and human rights, and stopping new HIV infections in children and keeping mothers alive. The release noted that the awarded community organisations will benefit from international visibility, and each recipient of the award received a US$10,000 grant to expand their work.
Other delegates were Dr. Shanti Singh, Director, National AIDS Programme (Guyana) and Ian McKnight former Executive Director, Caribbean Vulnerable Communities Coalition.
