Brief: Sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+ people) are becoming increasingly visible in public life and policy, particularly after the decriminalisation of consensual same-sex relations in 2018 and the enactment of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act in 2019. Yet, the health and well-being of LGBTQ+ people remain suboptimal, constrained by persistent stigma and significant gaps in public policy. Drawing on my 25 years of direct engagement with LGBTQ+ communities and policymakers, this talk will explore how the rights and health challenges they face have evolved over the past two decades, with a particular focus on public health and HIV prevention initiatives. It will address why health disparities persist, how policies and programs have responded, and what lessons this offers for promoting inclusiveness. The broader themes of the talk, such as how marginalised communities gain visibility, drive policy change, and shape the future of health systems, will be relevant to anyone interested in development, social justice, or evidence-based policymaking.
About the speaker: Dr. Venkatesan Chakrapani is a public health expert whose research has contributed to effective health interventions, programmes, and policies. For more than two decades, his work has focused on documenting, explaining, and addressing health inequalities among India’s most marginalised groups, particularly sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+ people). His studies provide critical evidence on how intersecting stigmas contribute to HIV risk and psychological distress, the barriers to accessing essential healthcare (including HIV prevention and treatment, and gender-affirming services), and the design and uptake of effective interventions to reduce stigma and improve mental health. He serves on the Technical Resource Groups of India’s National AIDS Control Organisation and has consulted for WHO and UNDP. He has authored over 90 peer-reviewed articles and more than 100 technical and policy reports.