Semi-annual report of the project Information about the project Name Implementer Number Reporting period Reporting date Reporting person

″HIV and AIDS prevention and awareness raising among MSM in Shirak, Lori regions and in Yerevan city″ ″New Generation″ Humanitariahn NGO ARM-H-MEA-GF NFM-930_NG January 17, 2016 –June 30, 2016 July 25, 2016 Artyom Movsesyan

Foreword Since January 17, 2016 ″New Generation″ Humanitarian NGO has started the implementation of the ″HIV and AIDS prevention andawareness raising among MSM in Shirak, Lori regions and in Yerevan city″ project with the financial support of the Global Fund against AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, Mission East/Armenia. The goal of the project is to support the implementation of the National Program of Armenia on Response to HIV through elimination of HIV and AIDS cases among MSM and raising their awareness. Within the framework of the project the registration of the beneficiaries is absolutely anonymous and is encoded in the formdeveloped by the Organization. To access the services of project the beneficiaries are given referrals to apply to the appropriate specialist of medical centers: "Scientific-medical center of dermatology and sexually transmitted diseases" CJSC in Yerevan; "Gugark Central Polyclinic" CJSC in Lori region and "Gyumri Polyclinic Number 2" in Shirak region. It is important to note, that outreach-workers of Yerevan and regions provide services not only to beneficiaries from Yerevan, Lori and Shirak, but also from neighboring regions. Periodical meetings are organized for the staff of the project to discuss its progress, problems, gaps, achieved results, success and recommendationsfor evaluating implemented activities, as well as making relevant remarks and suggestions aimed at increasing the effectiveness of the project. The meetings are also attended by the representatives of the ″Mission East/Armenia″, who suggest some reccomendations and proposals. From January 17 to July 30 the following activities were implemented: • assigned contracts with the staff and outreach-workers of the project, • development of forms of the online registration, as well as referrals, numbering and encoding of beneficiaries, • provision outreach-workers of the project with condoms, lubricants and eudcationalinformative materials to give to beneficiaries, • meeting-discussions with doctors and outreach-workers of the project, • monitoring in Yerevan, Lori and Shirak, 1

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seminar-trainings for beneficiaries.

From January to June of 2016 the following activities were implemented: Outreach work, which included: • distribution of information about the project, • identification of potential beneficiaries and provision of information about the relevant services of the project, • implementation of effective work with previous beneficiaries during the subsequent month, • referring the beneficiaries to specialists for HIV testing, • registration of scrapbooks, • monthly reports, • involvement of beneficiaries in seminar-trainings, • provision of condoms and lubricants, • work on online scrapbooks • in case of sero-positive cases referring the beneficiaries to the National Centerfor AIDS Prevention of RA. Voluntary consulting and testing: • pre-test and post-test consulting, • consulting on STDs, • consulting on HIV, • in case of sero-positive cases referring the beneficiaries to the National Centerfor AIDS Prevention of RA, • preparation and submission of reports. • Outreach-coordinator's work: • distribution of information about the project, • identification of potential beneficiaries and provision them with relevant information about the services of the project, • referring the beneficiaries to the specialist of the project for HIV testing, • registration of scrapbooks, monthly report, • daily monitoring of performance of outreach-workers, • conduction of monthly reportable meetings with outreach-workers, • provision of needed materials of the project, • monthly working plan. Numerical analysis from 17.01.2016 to 30.06.2016 Region

New beneficiary

Achieved voluntary consulting and testing services

Acieved beneficiary

Yerevan

1001

323

1001

Lori Shirak

171 171

82 78

171 172 2

Distributed materials Name

Yerevan

Region / Amount Lori

Shirak

Condom 24891 4733 3751 Lubrikant 14292 2734 2055 Educational-informative 94 16 10 materials From January to June of 2016 1922 condoms out of 2622 and 1192 lubrikants provided to beneficiaries were in-kind distribution by ″New Generation″ Humanitarian NGO. From January to June of 2016 among MSMs from Yerevan 4 HIV-positive cases were detected which were referred to the National Center for AIDS Prevention of RA. In Lori 2 HIV-positive cases were detected which were denied in the result of a double rapid test required by beneficiaries. Attached are the referrals of the beneficiaries to be submitted to the National Center for AIDS Prevention of RA.

Psychological consulting 5 beneficiaries of the project were given psychological consulting. Legal consulting Legal consulting was given to a representative of the LGBTI community who is the citizen of Georgia and had undergone a sex-change surgery and needed changes of personal information in the passport. The person referred to ″New Generation″ Humanitarian NGO. In the resultthe legislation of Georgia has been investigated and exhaustive steps of implementation mechanisms were given. A lodge was prepared for the RA citizen L. M.L. M. is transgender, whose tablet was deliberately damaged while they were reparing it because L. M. is a transsexual person. In the scope of the application a report was sent the RA Police on causing intentional damage to property of the person. Within the framework of investigation openinaction and other unlawful activities were displayed by the authorities. However, "New Generation" 3

Humanitarian NGO provided an attorney to the beneficiary to present the victim’s interests in law enforcement bodies. A complaint against the person who had repaired the tablet was sent. In the lodge precedential decisions of similar cases of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Armeniawere included which are mandatory for the lower court. On the basis of obvious discriminatory treatment and assaults towards LGBTI people ″New Generation″ Humanitarian NGO provided an attorney to the RA citizen G.A. A report was submitted to the RA Police.Within the investigation of the case it has become clear that G. A. was beaten on Italian streetof Yerevan city by officers of the RA National Security and other employees of law enforcement bodies and subjected to physical injuries.Forensic medical examination was appointed. After investigating the case it has been transferred to the RA Special Investigation Service. During the proceedings G. A. refused the legal assistance and announced that he can solve it indepently. Monitoring and evaluation In Yerevan, Lori and Shirak the following aspects were monitored with specialists of voluntary consulting and testing: • working scrapbooks and referrals, • online registration database of beneficiaries visited the doctor, • forms of monthly reports in correspondence with the reporting periods. Other activities implemented in the scope of the project from January to June, 2016 • February 24, 2016 - seminar-training on ″Prevention of HIV and AIDS and importance of HIV testing″ for outreach workers, beneficiaries of the project and other applicants for increasing the level of awarehness on HIV and AIDS. • March 18, 2016 – seminar-training on ″Prevention of HIV and AIDS and importance of HIV testing″ and ″HIV and Human Rights″ in Gyumri /Shirak region/ aimed at preventing HIV and AIND among the youth aged 18-30 through increasing their awareness, emphasizing the importance of HIV testing and increasing their knowledge on human rights, as well as human rights in-state and international protection mechanisms of people living with HIV, • May 28, 2016 – seminar-training on ″Human rights and HIV″ in Yerevan aimed at increasing the level of awareness of particpants on human rights of people living with HIV. • June 4, 2016 - seminar-training on ″Prevention of HIV and AIDS and importance of HIV testing″ and ″HIV and Human Rights″ in Vanadzor /Lori region/ aimed at preventing HIV and AIND among the youth aged 18-30 through increasing their awareness, emphasizing the importance of HIV testing and increasing their knowledge on human rights, as well as human rights in-state and international protection mechanisms of people living with HIV, • At the end of the events free legal consulting was given to interested beneficiaries. • Face-to-face conversations were held with the outreach-coordinator and beneficiaries of the project to discuss their concerns and suggestions about the program.

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Added values of the project for the reporting period: • February 4, 2016 - screening of ″The Danish Girl″. • February 16, 2016 – training on the topic of ″European Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms″. • March 21, 2016 –discussion on the topic of ″The importance of coopertation between journa;ists and representatives of civil society for protection of rights of LGBTI people in Armenia″; presentations ″Manifestations of attitudes, hate speech towards LGBTI people and the violation of their rights in the online environment of RA″ and ″Needs of sex reassignment surgery of transgender people: assessment of legal barriers″ reports; and media award of ″Diversity and equality - 2015″ journalistic contest. • April 29 – May 1, 2016 –three-day workshop on the topic of ″Human rights of LGBTI people and leaderaship″. • May 17, 2016 – conference on the topic of ″Initiatives of legislative changes for protection of rights of LGBTI people″ on the occasion of the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. • A sub-grant contract signed with the president of ″Right Side″ NGO to financially support the implementation of the event dedicated to the International Day against Homophobia and Transphobia. Activities to be implemented during the next reporting period Within the project: • HIV-testing, • provision of condoms and lubricants, • free STDs testing and medival treatment, • seminar-trainings in Yerevan, Lori and Shirak on the topics of ″Prevention of HIV and AIDS and importance of HIV testing″ and ″Human rights and HIV″. Non-project: • free legal consulting and legal documentation, • movie screenings, • Involvement of MSMs and TGs in the ″Health is possible to buy if resources are invested″ project. The target groups of the project are MSMs and transgenders. Within the framework of the project need assessment of target groups and advocacy activities will be carried out aimed at facilitating the access of target groups to HIVrelated services.″Health is possible to buy if resources are invested″ is led by the Eurasian Harm Reduction Network, Eurasian Coalition on Male Health and the Union of people living with HIV in Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

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