Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

“Putting human rights, equity and gender equality at the centre of the HIV response requires a major shift in coverage, content and resourcing of HIV programming. Generic HIV programmes that fail to address gender, sexuality, inequality, unprotective legal environments, mobility and drug dependence must be transformed to do so” - UNAIDS, 2011

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

40% of respondents reported loss of a job or source of income 33% of respondents reported discrimination in education settings Nearly 40% reported that their human rights had been abused in the past 12 months - From the Stigma Index for Kenya, 2011 At least 600 individuals living with HIV in 24 countries have been convicted under HIV-specific or general criminal laws More than 300 convictions in the USA and Canada. North America is the region with highest number of criminal prosecutions for HIV

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries January 2008 to March 2012: 816 media reported killings of transgender people globally 643 media reported killings in 21 countries in Central and South America Between 2008 and 2011: 63 killings of people from the LGBT community in Honduras

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Xxxxx“(…) when we refer our peers to public health centres, the centre should guarantee proper treatment, with quality and cordiality, but the reality is that this is not the case for the transgender population (…) When one of these teenage sisters receives assistance from one of these doctors, they do not touch her, they do not examine her, they do not check her body for any conditions; that person comes away with a bad perception which she naturally passes on to the rest. No one wants to access medical services, and this way the process of self-medication continues.” - Silueta X member

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries Argentina’s Gender Identity Law came into effect in June 2012 CCM representation by transgender people in Latin America (with seats in 11 CCMs)

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries

7 Key Programmes to Address Human Rights in National HIV Responses Stigma and discrimination reduction HIV-related legal services Monitoring and reforming laws, regulations and policies relating to HIV Legal literacy (‘know your rights’) Sensitization of law makers and law enforcement agents Training for health care providers on human rights and medical ethics related to HIV Reducing harmful gender norms and violence against women and increasing their legal, social and economic empowerment in the context of HIV

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries “First, as a priority aspect in our NSP, we had to look at how our legal environment could permit us to work with some of those restricted populations. A major activity was how could we engage policy- makers to allow us to give services to those people from a public health point of view, where you need everyone to access services, irrespective of your belief and orientation. Our constitution states health as a human right. So we used this to argue our cause.” - Coordinator Partnership Affairs, Uganda AIDS Commission.

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries A new movement for HIV law reform? “It is not easy or popular to call for the legalisation of homosexuality in many African countries, but it is the right thing to do. It is right because it is essential to slow the spread of HIV and to ensure that human rights protections are extended to all citizens. But it is also right because people in Africa understand that the state has far more urgent priorities than interfering in the private lives of consenting adults.” - Festus Mogae, former President of Botswana

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries “When I can work in safe and fair conditions. When I am free of discrimination. When I am free of labels like ‘immoral’ or ‘victim’. When I am free from unethical researchers. When I am free to do my job without harassment, violence or breaking the law. When sex work is recognised as work. When we have safety, unity, respect and our rights. When I am free to choose my own way. THEN I am free to protect myself and others from HIV.” - Empower Foundation, Thailand, Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue, 2011 (Global Commission on HIV and the Law)

Supporting community action on AIDS in developing countries