The Network Office
The Netzwerkstelle sexuelle Gesundheit und Migration (Netzwerkstelle for Sexual Health and Migration) has existed in Berlin since 2004. It is a project of VIA, Regionalverband Berlin/Brandenburg e.V., funded by the Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege (Senate Department for Science, Health and Care).
As staff of the Netzwerkstelle, we are committed to ensuring that people with migration or refugee backgrounds are optimally reached in the area of sexual and reproductive health, especially in the area of HIV prevention. For us, migration is a cross-cutting issue that needs to be considered in all areas, not just in the field of healthcare.
We provide information, facilitate experts, advise and develop innovative projects together with people from the target groups and our partner organisations such as SEGESUMI, Youth 4 Youth, or HIV prevention by and for refugees. We connect
and cooperate with other regional and national actors in the fields of migration, HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health.
„Fast-Track-City-Initiative to end Aids"
An important focus of the network office is “Zero Stigma”, a cutback on HIV-realted and racial discrimination, within the framework of the international „Fast-Track-City-Initiative to end Aids“. Diesem internationalen Städtenetzwerk zur Beendigung von AIDS bis zum Jahr 2030 ist Berlin 2016 beigetreten. Von 2022 bis 2024 koordinierte die Netzwerkstelle das Fast-Track-City-Netzwerk Berlin und engagiert sich dort auch weiterhin. Dieses Netzwerk aus Einzelpersonen und Organisationen hat sich 2022 in der Folge des Fast-Track-City-Summts in Berlin gegründet.
Our background
Health is a human right!
Everyone has the right to health care without discrimination!
No-one should be faced with discrimination when it comes to health care or health services, for reasons such as race, language, religion, physical characteristics, residency status, socio-economic status, sexual identity or orientation. Health care includes the areas of prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
It is still more difficult to reach immigrants than the general population in Germany, although Germany recognizes the human right to a high standard in health in several agreements, see UN Social Pact 1966 (Article 12), CEDAW, International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, EU Fundamental Rights Charter.
The focus of our work is on sexual and reproductive health, which we define according to the World Health Organization (WHO) as “a state of physical, emotional, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality and not just the absence of disease, dysfunction or infirmity”. A positive and respectful attitude towards sexuality and sexual relationships and the opportunity to have pleasant and safe sexual experiences free from constraint, discrimination and violence are central. Sexual health can only be achieved and maintained when the sexual rights of all people are respected, protected and fulfilled”. This includes access to information, counseling and other services.
The Netzwerkstelle sexuelle Gesundheit und Migration is a project from the Verband für Interkulturelle Arbeit (VIA), Regionalverband Berlin/ Brandenburg e. V. The production was made possible through generous funding from Senatsverwaltung für Wissenschaft, Gesundheit, Pflege (Senate Department for Science, Health and Care).
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