Humsafar Trust Explained

Humsafar Trust
Founder:Ashok Row Kavi, Suhail Abbasi, Sridhar Rangayan
Type:Charitable trust
Focus:LGBT rights, health
Location City:Mumbai
Location Country:India
Key People:Suhail Abbasi (Chairperson); Vivek Raj Anand (CEO)
Homepage:https://humsafar.org/about-us/
Founded Date:1994

Humsafar Trust (Hindi: humsafar meaning 'companion' in Hindustani: Hindi: हमसफ़र, Urdu: ہمسفر) is an NGO in Mumbai that promotes LGBT rights. Founded by Ashok Row Kavi, Suhail Abbasi, and Sridhar Rangayan in 1994, it is one of the largest and most active of such organisations in India.[1] [2] It provides counselling, advocacy and healthcare to LGBT communities and has helped reduce violence, discrimination and stigma against them.[3] Humsafar Trust is the convenor member of Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities (INFOSEM).[4]

Origin

The Humsafar Trust (HST) was founded in April 1994 by journalist Ashok Row Kavi, media professional Suhail Abbasi and filmmaker Sridhar Rangayan, to reach out to LGBTQ communities in Mumbai Metro and surrounding areas.[5] At that time prejudice and conventional Indian societal values prevented MSM and transgender Indians from getting effective health services. The initial focus of Humsafar Trust was on activism for providing HIV/AIDS health services to gay men, but soon expanded to provide guidance, checkups, hospital referrals, confidential HIV testing, counseling and outreach for the complete spectrum of the LGBT community.[2]

Advocacy initiatives

Initiatives by Humsafar Trust

Convenor Member of INFOSEM

HST is convener member of Integrated Network for Sexual Minorities (INFOSEM) the only national level network of sexual minorities that has 196 community based organisations representing Lesbian, Gay, Kothi, MSM, bisexual and Transgender communities as members.[20]

Yaariyan & Umang

HST has nurtured a support group ‘UMANG’ (Joy) for LBT persons and a youth LGBT group ‘YAARIYAN’ (Friendships). Both the groups are actively involved in engaging with young members of the community and undertake a number of community-binding and advocacy related initiatives. Yaariyan has been doing LGBTQ flashmob in Mumbai for many years.[21] [22] [23]

Sanjeevani

Humsafar has nurtured SANJEEVANI, a support group for people living with HIV.[24] [25] Sanjeevani was established in March, 2003 and registered in March, 2010 as a CBO of men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender (TG) living with HIV. It has been a support group of over 300 individuals living with HIV.

Humsafar Connect

HST has set up CONNECT which is a National Online Resource Center that will connect LGBTQ communities worldwide.[26]

HIV/AIDS ART Clinic

The Humsafar Trust inaugurated India's first integrated community-based HIV treatment centre and clinic in Mumbai to provide free counselling and Anti-Retroviral Therapy (ART). It has been set up with the help of Mumbai District State AIDS Control Society (MDACS) and FHI 360.[27] [28] The community-based ART centre is a pilot differentiated care supported by the government of India.

“This centre can now diagnose, provide the pills, carry out testing and assessment and provide counselling and ART therapy all under one roof”

- Ashok Row Kavi, founder of Humsafar Trust.

The aim here is to relieve the government hospitals from the constant inflow of HIV/AIDS MSM patients.[29] [30]

Activism

Humsafar Delhi

Humsafar Trust has also started an office in the capital of India - New Delhi. It also has a drop-in centre where people can meet, engage and discuss.

“The Humsafar Trust will bring our best services in counselling, crisis management and community mobilisation to the LGBT groups in Delhi-NCR and other nearby areas. We also hope to network directly with the Parliament and the Union government on important legislation regarding sexual minorities and their problems,”

- Ashok Row Kavi, founder of Humsafar Trust.

"Humsafar's LGBTQ centre in Delhi hopes to provide not only a safer place for the community members, but also counselling and links with mental health professionals,”

- Vivek Anand, CEO of Humsafar Trust.[35]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Humsafar Trustk. queer-ink.com. en-US. 2017-05-15. 19 January 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180119125310/http://queer-ink.com/humsafar-trust-hst/. dead.
  2. Web site: An Interview with Ashok Row Kavi—Coming Out in India. TREAT Asia Report. amFAR.org. March 2008. 26 November 2014. 25 July 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140725234106/http://amfar.org/articles/around-the-world/treatasia/older/an-interview-with-ashok-row-kavi%E2%80%94coming-out-in-india/. dead.
  3. News: The Humsafar Trust – Accepting alternative sexualities satyamevjayate.in. 2017-05-15.
  4. Web site: INFOSEM - India Network for Sexual Minorities. www.infosem.org. 2017-05-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20170716092836/http://www.infosem.org/. 16 July 2017. dead.
  5. Web site: About Us - The Humsafar Trust . The Humsafar Trust . 18 October 2022.
  6. Web site: The Telegraph - Calcutta (Kolkata). https://web.archive.org/web/20080705123717/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080701/jsp/entertainment/story_9485654.jsp. dead. 5 July 2008. www.telegraphindia.com. 2017-05-15.
  7. Web site: Bridges of Hope . 2008 . Solaris Pictures . June 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110130080821/https://www.solarispictures.com/boh.htm . January 30, 2011.
  8. Web site: Bridges of Hope (2008) - Full Cast and Crew . https://web.archive.org/web/20190629101234/https://www.cinestaan.com/movies/bridges-of-hope-10396/cast-crew. live. 29 June 2019. www.cinestaan.com. en-us. 2017-05-15.
  9. Web site: Indian LGBT Oral History Project - About . Project Bolo . 2014-06-29.
  10. Web site: artsnetworkasia. www.artsnetworkasia.org. en-us. 2017-05-15.
  11. Web site: Kashish 2010. www.mumbaiqueerfest.com. en-gb. 2017-05-15. 16 June 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200616053434/http://www.mumbaiqueerfest.com/kashish2010/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=108:kashish-2010&catid=34:demo-category&Itemid=28. dead.
  12. Web site: Ek Madhav Baug, and attempt to promote gender Equality . December 12, 2017 . Times of India . June 8, 2023.
  13. Web site: Vivek Anand, The Voice of I Am Omar… Biopics 5/7 - Suruchi Gupta. 2017-05-15. 29 September 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20130929134200/http://www.suruchigupta.in/2011/04/27/vivek-anand-the-voice-of-i-am-omar-biopic-57/. dead.
  14. News: LGBT community brings out media guide for improved reporting. 2015-04-08. dna. 2017-05-15. en-US.
  15. News: A manual to support the right to love. 2015-02-14. dna. 2017-05-15. en-US.
  16. News: India's favourite news anchor Arnab Goswami comes in support for the LGBT community. 2017-05-15. en-US.
  17. News: By month-end, Tinder to allow users to choose sexual orientation. Karangutkar. Suyash. 2019-06-11. The Hindu. 2019-06-15. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  18. Web site: Love in the time of right swipe: Tinder introduces more gender options on user bios. www.businesstoday.in. 13 November 2018 . 2019-06-15.
  19. Web site: Embrace Everyone: Tinder India Finally Adds Transgender & 22 Other Gender Options For Users. 2018-11-14. indiatimes.com. en. 2019-06-15.
  20. Book: A People Stronger: The collectivisation of MSM and TG groups in India. Singh. Dasgupta. Patankar. Sinha. Suneeta. Sangita. Pallav. Minati. Sage Publication. 2012. 978-81-321-1001-9. 67, 72, 73.
  21. News: Dialling up support for LGBTs . The Times of India. 2017-05-20.
  22. Web site: Yaariyan, A Community Home For LGBTQ Youth In Mumbai.. 2017-05-20. 16 May 2017.
  23. News: Events in pride calendar go down but participation up. 2015-01-24. dna. 2017-05-20. en-US.
  24. News: Civil Society groups seek tabling of HIV/AIDS Bill in Rajya Sabha - Lawyers Collective. 2013-07-26. Lawyers Collective. 2017-05-20. en-US.
  25. Web site: Making a Song and trans: memgers of the transgender community have planned a 5-minute flash mob to raise awareness about inclusiveness . Shukla . Aparna . August 31, 2016 . PressReader . June 8, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190629101644/https://www.pressreader.com/india/mid-day/20160831/281672549375591 . June 29, 2019.
  26. News: Humsafar Dilli chali. 2017-04-09. dna. 2017-05-20. en-US.
  27. News: Country's first HIV treatment centre inaugurated. Karangutkar. Suyash. 2019-03-08. The Hindu. 2019-06-15. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  28. Web site: India's first holistic LGBTQ clinic and Antiretroviral therapy centre set up in Mumbai. March 8, 2019. Mumbai Mirror. en. 2019-06-15.
  29. Web site: Humsafar Trust inaugurates India's first LGBTQ clinic, one-stop HIV treatment centre in Mumbai. www.timesnownews.com. en-GB. 2019-06-15.
  30. Web site: Richa Chadha to inaugurate India's first-ever LGBTQ art centre and medical clinic. www.timesnownews.com. en-GB. 2019-06-15.
  31. Web site: Mumbai gay film fest eyes dialogue on homosexuality | Reuters . Shilpa . Jamkhandikar . in.reuters.com . 20 April 2010 . 30 January 2012.
  32. Web site: Loud and Queer - Indian Express . Afsha . Khan . indianexpress.com . 21 Jan 2012 . 30 January 2012.
  33. Web site: 'Activist' disrupts Pride fundraiser party . Dhamini . Ratnam . mid-day.com . 15 January 2012 . 30 January 2012.
  34. News: Summit to empower queer leaders held in Mumbai. 2018-08-31. The Hindu. 2019-06-15. en-IN. 0971-751X.
  35. News: One-stop centre for LGBT community members in Capital. Perappadan. Bindu Shajan. The Hindu. 2017-05-20. en.

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