We are excited to announce the return of the SCOPE project – Amplifying Community Voices for Prevention! This year, SCOPE continues to place a stronger emphasis on building meaningful partnerships with community-led groups and activists.
Last November, we issued a call for community representatives to be part of the project’s advisory panel. Today we are happy to present the composition of SCOPE’s new Community Expert Group. Below, we are letting its members introduce themselves, a dynamic group of advocates and experts who will guide project activities and help shape impactful, community-centred outcomes.
Hmayak Avetisyan (all pronouns), Member of the National Trans Coalition human rights NGO (Yerevan, Armenia)
I am passionate about advancing community-led HIV prevention initiatives and ensuring that underserved populations have equal access to the tools and support they need. I am excited to be part of the SCOPE project and look forward to working with a diverse team to amplify voices and create meaningful change in HIV prevention.
Vera Rodriguez (she/her), European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA)
Born in Spain, after being discriminated in a hospital in Belgium because of my sex worker background, I began fighting for sex workers rights in 2011. Last year, I joined the European Sex Workers Rights Alliance as a programme officer on Access to Health and HIV prevention and access to treatment is one of the main areas of my work right now. I am excited to learn from SCOPE members and experience and to bring my knowledge on sex workers rights, HIV prevention and access to health free of discrimination and stigma.
Marco Bastian Stizioli (he/him), Brescia Checkpoint
I am an Italian enthusiastic advocate for sexual freedom. As a content creator and peer educator I work to promote sexual health, reduce HIV stigma, and empower my communities in Italy and on a European level.
In the SCOPE project I hope to share what I have learned in my combination prevention journey and discover inspiring stories from other European colleagues. Combination prevention is more than tools; it’s about the transformative power of human connection.
Amanita Calderón-Cifuéntes (she/her), TGEU / NGO delegate for Europe at UNAIDS
I am a Colombian scientist and trans activist with over a decade of experience in microbiology and cellular stress response research. My work focuses on sexual and reproductive health and rights, with an emphasis on infectious diseases such as HIV and Mpox. As a microbiologist living with HIV, I combine my scientific expertise with lived experience to drive impactful advocacy efforts. I have served as a consultant for Gilead Sciences and ViiV Healthcare, and I collaborate with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), advocating for the development of trans-specific medical guidelines and standards of care. Since January 1, 2025, I have also represented TGEU as Delegate for Europe on the NGO Delegation of the Program Coordinating Board of UNAIDS.
I think SCOPE could really step up its game by taking the definition of HIV combination prevention and the checklist for rapid community assessments to the next level. It’s not just about identifying gaps; it’s about actively promoting and developing initiatives that deliver integrated services designed for the overlapping needs of key populations. Trans people don’t exist in silos—we might also be sex workers, drug users, men who have sex with men, migrants, or people in prison. A good service recognizes this intersectionality and provides everything we need in one place: harm reduction strategies, gender-affirming care, reproductive health services, mental health support (both preventive and corrective), alongside the usual HIV testing and prevention like PrEP and condoms. One-stop clinics for key populations, where all of these services are accessible under one roof, should be the standard, and these clinics must be community-led.
Community leadership ensures these spaces are grounded in lived experience and tailored to the realities of the people they serve. These clinics should also aim to lead community-driven research, informed by the lived experiences of researchers from key populations, to truly identify and address the biomedical needs of those communities. No more HIV research without meaningful representation of trans people in the samples—or without trans researchers leading the work. It’s time we make sure that the research reflects our realities, and that the services we design are rooted in both evidence and lived experience. Models like the Tangerine Clinic are a blueprint, and SCOPE has a real opportunity to push for their funding, expansion, and replication, while also supporting community-led organizations with the tools and technical assistance they need to create these spaces. It’s about equipping our communities to lead the change we know is necessary.
SCOPE focuses on addressing the intersectional needs of diverse key populations, including men who have sex with men, transgender and non-binary people, migrants and people on the move, sex workers, women, and people who use drugs. By working closely with community advocates and representatives, SCOPE aims to actively advance and create initiatives that provide integrated services tailored to the intersecting needs of key populations.
Keep an eye out for all upcoming SCOPE events, news and activities!
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