APCOM Plenary at ICAAP 8APCOM was launched in July 2007 as a direct outcome of the International Consultation on Male Sexual Health and HIV in Asia and the Pacific, known as Risks and Responsibilities, held in New Delhi in late 2006.Open to regional and sub-regional networks, as well as national networks and individual organizations, APCOM is directed by a Governing Board comprised of community representatives from eight APCOM-designated Asia Pacific sub-regions: Australasia, China, Developed Asia, Greater Mekong (not including China provinces), India, Insular Southeast Asia, Pacific, South Asia (not including India), two region-wide community constituencies: PLHIV – MSM living with HIV and transgender. In addition, the Governing Board includes representatives from the government sector, donor/development agencies, international non-government organisations, technical experts and advisors, and the UN system (for 2009, UNDP, UNESCO, UNAIDS and WHO).Development of this website was supported by the UNAIDS Regional Support Team – Asia Pacific. APCOM is grateful to the many sponsors and supporters who made this website possible. APCOM Sub-region Countries/Areas
Australasia Sub-region Australia, New Zealand
China Sub-region China (mainland)
Developed Asia Sub-region Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan
India Sub-region India (only)
Insular Southeast Asia Sub-region Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines
Greater Mekong Sub-region
(not including China provinces) Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam
Pacific Sub-region Cook Island, Kiribati, Fiji, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tokelau, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
South Asia Sub-region
(not including India) Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri LankaAPCOM is coalition of governments, UN partners, donors, technical experts, non-government and community-based organisations, networks and groups that are directly working with men who have sex with men and HIV. Through increased participation and representation by MSM in regional and global bodies and conferences, APCOM seeks to scale up and increase attention to the needs of MSM in general and HIV issues in particular. Forums that APCOM has been, or will be, represented at include the International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP), the 2008 International AIDS Conference in Mexico and ASEAN ministerial meetings.
By leveraging technical assistance, support and mentoring to MSM HIV projects, to state and national governments and to existing technical assistance facilities, as well as by identifying and assisting the development of MSM (and transgender) and HIV networks, APCOM strengthens community work and nurtures partnerships so that good practices and lessons learnt can be shared and programme results improved.
A critical role for APCOM is to assess and track country by country both the degree and quality of inclusion of MSM and HIV issues in national AIDS planning. APCOM also promotes the principles of good practice and lessons learnt to policy makers, service providers and MSM based on qualitative research and cost effective studies.