Prasada Rao UN Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia Pacific
Stop closing down brothels

According to Prasada Rao, ignorance has been the biggest barrier in dealing with the decades-old HIV/AIDS epidemic. This is why he speaks openly about the disease, freely discussing such topics as sex and sex education, which most Asians see as taboo, so that the social stigma attached to its victims can be erased, a first step in the prevention and treatment of the disease.

Rao truly believes that an open discussion of the subject would be the best protection against the disease, yet the biggest challenge in addressing this global epidemic. "For Asians, sex is taboo. It's in your bedroom, not on the road. So there's always that challenge," he told Tempo.

November 24, 2015