In India as in the United States, the current climate surrounding efforts to secure and protect the rights of LGBTQIA+ communities can be tense. While queerness has gradually become accepted in some parts of the country, it continues to be feared and misunderstood in others, where community members face relentless verbal and physical abuse.
Female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) continues to impact millions of girls and young women globally. The practice is an age-old cultural tradition shrouded in silence and maintained by adherence to social norms proclaiming its numerous benefits, but the reality is that it exacts a devastating toll on women's physical and emotional health—many survivors suffer from painful sex, chronic UTIs, childbirth complications, and depression.
Many refugees and immigrant communities in the United States face rampant xenophobia and racist discrimination as right-wing rhetoric dominates the media landscape and support for the reality of what some migrants endure continues to dwindle.
While community support services for survivors and witnesses of violence are widely available in the United States, specific attention to diverse cultural and linguistic needs continues to be in short supply.
To date, more than two billion people worldwide have been infected with hepatitis B. The Hepatitis B Foundation, which works to improve the lives of people living with hepatitis B recognizes that directly engaging community members in speaking out about obstacles to testing, prevention, and care is essential to reducing the stigma associated with the virus, encouraging screening, and improving services.