Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether the Safe To Be Me conference will provide opportunities to platform UK Government funded aid mechanisms, including the Global Fund To Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, that support marginalised groups in accessing healthcare.

With the risk of acquiring HIV globally 25 times higher amongst men who have sex with men, and 34 times higher for transgender women, it is clear that this remains one of the greatest healthcare challenges for LGBT+ people. The UK Government continues to be a major donor to international health organisations and programmes, including the Global Fund.

'Safe To Be Me: A Global Equality Conference' will take place 29 June-1 July 2022, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the first official London Pride marches. The global event will be the first of its kind in the UK, bringing together governments, policy experts and international organisations who advocate for human rights in every corner of the globe, as well as representatives from business who are leading the way in their respective sectors. It will provide many opportunities to highlight the amazing work that the UK government and our partners are doing to improve the lives of LGBT+ people around the world, including in accessing healthcare and other services.