Originally appeared in GLOBAL HEALTH magazine.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) bear a disproportionate share of the HIV/AIDS burden in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, but data on and services for this population are woefully inadequate. With a better understanding of this marginalized community's needs, donors and implementers can help support effective policies and programs for MSM infected and affected by HIV.
In Eastern Europe and Central Asia, as in many parts of the world, the HIV epidemic among MSM is underreported and under”acknowledged. The lack of official reports on HIV among men who have sex with men might enable governments to avoid prioritizing or even offering interventions, and HIV programmers can fail to reach those most in need.
Without the data and analysis of MSM issues it is easy for governments and HIV/AIDS programmers to not develop MSM programs and interventions as: (a) no data means it can look like MSM is not a problem and therefore not a priority and (b) lack of recognition of the issue means that it is easy for governments'/programmers' own homophobia to get in the way of developing programming.