This research brief draws attention to the current pragmatic use of community-based “safe spaces” as a critical health intervention among Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, Intersex and Queer (LGBTIQ) citizens in urban Cape Town, South Africa. These safe spaces are primarily healthcare spaces that also approach socio-economic development from within HIV/AIDS frameworks. However, as HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment and care in South African cities are skewed heavily toward Men who have Sex with Men (MSM), interventions are needed to better prioritise access to comprehensive care among citizens who self-identify as part of LGBTIQ communities. By acknowledging LGBTIQ citizens as stakeholders in global and African health systems, this brief positions the use of safe spaces as one urban development pathway that can link and sustain access to lifesaving HIV/AIDS-related treatment, prevention and care in South African cities.
