01/12/2025 | Writer: Kaos GL
13 LGBTI+ organizations came together for a major joint initiative on World AIDS Day, 1 December. In response to growing pressure and discrimination in health policies, they announced the establishment of the “LGBTI+ Sexual and Reproductive Health Sub-Network.”
Amid increasing pressure on civil society and the growing barriers to accessing healthcare, a collective response has emerged from the LGBTI+ movement. The “LGBTI+ Sexual and Reproductive Health Sub-Network,” established to more effectively combat rights violations in the field of sexual and reproductive health, was announced to the public on the occasion of World AIDS Day, 1 December.
The foundation of the network was laid during a workshop held last month (30-31 October 2025). This new formation aims to strengthen advocacy capacity, ensure the flow of accurate information, and institutionalize solidarity.
“A united struggle against systemic exclusion”
The network’s founding manifesto draws attention to how the current sociopolitical climate has turned sexual health into a “taboo.” Organizations noted that dialogue channels with public institutions such as the Ministry of Health have broken down, and emphasized that concepts like “public morality” and “public health” are being instrumentalized to fuel hostility.
The founding statement underlines that LGBTI+ people are systematically excluded even from the most basic healthcare services, and includes the following remarks:
“The centralization of services in major cities like Ankara and Istanbul is not only a geographical barrier; it also disrupts the flow of reliable information, leaving LGBTI+ people in smaller provinces unsupported and deprived of up to date knowledge.”
Goal: Prevent misinformation and ensure access
The newly established network defines the barriers to accessing sexual health not merely as a medical issue, but as a “crisis of privacy, safety, and equality.” In response to the current cis-normative health system, one defined solely by assigned sex at birth, it seeks to advance an accessible and inclusive health policy for all.
The network’s mission is summarized by the shared perspective developed during the workshop:
“We began from a place of information gaps and a lack of institutional memory. We want to strengthen our organizations, the movement, and the struggle of LGBTI+ people in this field, and expand solidarity.”
Which organizations are part of the network?
Kaos GL, May 17 Association, Pink Life, LISTAG, GALADER, HEVI, Red Umbrella Association, Inter Solidarity, Positive Solidarity, Kapsama Alanı, Muamma LGBTI + Association, Özgür Renkler and Pozitif Alan.
Tags: human rights, life, health, trans, lgbti
