Anu Karunanithy

This symposium were exploring the creation of a new systems that are inclusive and prioritize community-led intersectional approaches to push back on the continued colonization of Indigenous peoples and the global South in our healthcare systems and approaches.

This symposium was co-moderated by Cecilia Chung (Civil Rights Leader and Activist from the United States) and Anandi Yuvaraj (Member of International Community of Women Living with HIV -ICW Global, from India). The speakers of this session are Carmen Del Pilar Montalvo (President of the International Indigeneous HIV/AIDS Community from Peru), Morolake Odetoyinbo (Founder of Positive Action for Treatment Access and Mary’s Home for Adolescent Girls from Nigeria) and Ndiilo Nthengwe (Intersectional Gender Justice Advocate from Namibia). Montalvo mentioned that so far, there is no official data on the number of HIV cases reported among indigenious people. The HIV policy seems irrelevant or made a very little progress to indigenious community. Odetoyinbo quoted that most women living in the global south are stigmatized due to their feminism being colonized. Meanwhile,the final speaker, Nthengwe highlighted that everyone including the indigenious community needed a non-profiling and dignified health care system.

Colonization proved that those in power will dominate the health system. Everyone face a common challenge in the HIV programming, be it a woman, transwoman or non-binary population. By decolonizing global health, it will make sure that indigenious populations has the equal rights to access to health regardless of their age, gender and sexual orientation. Moving forward, multi sectoral partnership is vital to address global health response by ensuring nobody left behind.