Below is a reposting of the press release from the The Global Forum on MSM & HIV (MSMGF) on the recent transition in secretariat for the David Kato Vision and Voice Award.

The David Kato Vision and Voice Award (DKVVA) Steering Committee is pleased to announce a transition in secretariat for the DKVVA. The secretariat of the award was founded at the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), then moved to the Global Forum on MSM and HIV (MSMGF) for the past two years. During MSMGF’s tenure as secretariat, DKVVA selected two awardees from hundreds of impressive global nominees and built a successful partnership with the Teddy Awards of the Berlin International Film Festival for heightening visibility of the awardees and prize. The DKVVA Steering Committee now transfers the secretariat to the Kaleidoscope Trust.

The Kaleidoscope Trust was established in London in 2011 to advance the human rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in countries where they lack their equal rights. The Trust’s mission is to: listen to the voices of LGBT people whose human rights are threatened by discrimination; amplify their messages and draw on their expertise to persuade public and political opinion to work as a catalyst for meaningful change. Hosting the David Kato Voice and Vision Award Secretariat is one of the concrete ways in which the Trust can recognise and support LGBTI leaders to carry out their activism in the face of challenges including systematic discrimination and capacity constraints.

The David Kato Vision and Voice Award has been given annually since 2012 in recognition of David Kato’s life and work and as way to respond to the injustice of David’s murder in Uganda on the 26th of January 2011. The award recognizes the leadership of individuals who strive to uphold the numerous dimensions of sexual rights for LGBTI people. Previous award recipients have been Maurice Tomlinson, Ali Erol, Sou Sotheavy and Martha Tholanah.

The Kaleidoscope Trust is looking forward to working closely with the award Steering Committee which includes leadership from Sexual Minorities Uganda, International Planned Parenthood Foundation, Herbert Smith LLP, and MSMGF. Further details on the award and the commencement of the next annual award process will be forthcoming soon.

About MSMGF: MSMGF has worked since its founding in 2006 to encourage targeted, tailored, better-resourced, and rights-based sexual health services for gay men and other men who have sex with men (MSM) worldwide, through its advocacy and technical support work. As a global network, MSMGF has successfully influenced HIV responses at the local level through shifts in global- level policies and has effectively utilized public health as an entry point for advancing the human rights of LGBT people. MSMGF currently supports programs in 15 countries.