From its earliest years, ISDS has been pioneering unique studies of gender, sexuality and sexual health in
In addition to the studies of the general population, ISDS also conducted scientific investigations of sexual minorities of men who have sex with men, intravenous drug users, unauthorized rural-urban migrants, commercial sex workers, people living with HIV (PLWHIV), and trafficking victims. Both the state and mainstream society severely stigmatize and discriminate these groups, largely by linking their sexuality to the spread of HIV in the country.
The Institute’s above works on sexuality and sexual health have been funded by The Ford Foundation since 2002. For the national survey on sexuality, the Institute has secured additional fund from the UNFPA Hanoi, which is also interested in disseminating the survey findings nationally. ISDS collaborates with the University of La Trobe (Australia ) on a research of men who have sex with men in Vietnam