UNAIDS Caribbean: All human beings are born free and equal

Excerpt of statement by Dr. César Núñez, UNAIDS Latin America and Caribbean Regional Support Team Director:
[IDAHOT] comes at a critical time for Latin America and the Caribbean. This year the world started its 15-year journey toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals with their emphasis on dignity, equality and security for all. Yet recent events in the region demonstrate that entire communities remain degraded, discriminated against and excluded.

[...]Here’s an idea of the fallout. According to UNESCO almost half of LGBT students in Latin America do not finish secondary school. Global AIDS Response Progress Report data show that in some countries HIV rates among men who have sex with men and transgender women are as much as twenty times the national average.  Globally, there were more than 1300 reported killings of transgender people between 2008 and 2013. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights notes that four of every five such murders occurred in this region.

Discrimination increases the vulnerability of entire communities by driving them away from life-saving services like health. Our words, actions and attitudes really do hurt. We have learned over the last three decades that HIV is not just about sex. Social exclusion, gender-based violence, poverty, unemployment and unmet health needs are among the contributing factors. Read his full statement via UNAIDS Caribbean

Why We Fight

For International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), the United Nations asked LGBTI people around the world to film a short clip of why they fight and why they stay strong.

 LGBTI people from 21 countries around the world explain why they fight for equality For International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOT), the United Nations asked LGBTI people around the world to film a short clip of why they fight and why they stay strong.  Some, like India and Lebanon, are fighting for decriminalization. But for many more from Japan to Jamaica, the UK to United States, many said they are fighting for love, for acceptance and for people to be themselves.

Some, like India and Lebanon, are fighting for decriminalization. But for many more from Japan to Jamaica, the UK to United States, many said they are fighting for love, for acceptance and for people to be themselves. Read more via Gay Star News 

UN Committee against Torture to reprimand Nepal, UK over IGM Practices

This week it's the turn of the UK to be questioned over Intersex Genital Mutilations at the 72nd Session of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC). UN-CRC recognises IGM as a 'harmful practice' (like FGM) and as'violence against children', has recently reprimanded Ireland,France, Chile and Switzerland, and only last week questioned Nepal over IGM practices.

UK government bodies, while admitting to the harm done by IGM practices, are quick to actively shield IGM perpetrators from human rights criticism by simply declaring the ongoing practice in the UK a thing of the past:

“Until recently [intersex people] would usually undergo genital surgery at a young age to given them characteristics which are clearly either male or female. Medical professionals are now more likely to advise waiting until the child is older and able to provide informed consent to surgery, because of the implications surgery can have on future health and function.” - House of Commons, Women and Equalities Committee (2016).

On the other hand, the “Society for Endocrinology UK guidance on the initial evaluation of an infant or an adolescent with a suspected disorder of sex development (Revised 2015)” generally advocates early unnecessary surgeries as legitimate, framing the human rights issues involved as mere “controversies”: Read more via STOP IGM

31st Session of the Human Rights Council: LGBTI Rights and Intersectionality

The 31st Session of the Human Rights Council provided us an opportunity to think of the issue of discrimination and violence faced by LGBTI people from an intersectional lens. SOGI issues in this session became a part of many important conversations during the Council.

What the Report on torture throws up sharply was the self evident truth that SOGI rights are linked to other human rights issues as some LGBTI people are human rights defenders, others are women, others have their right to expression violated and yet others become victims of targeted violence.

Other dimensions of LGBTI existence be it homelessness, attacks on human rights defenders, violation of the right to freedom of association, the right to freedom of religion and the violation of cultural rights were explored in key reports by Special Rapporteurs in the 31st session. Read more via ARC International

UNDP: New tool launched to improve HIV Prevention Programmes for Transgender People

A new UN publication was launched today to enable governments, public-health officials, programme managers, NGOs and health workers to create and improve HIV prevention programmes for transgender people.

The new publication, Implementing comprehensive HIV prevention programmes with transgender people captures issues such as the need to empower communities of transgender people; address the stigma, discrimination and violence that they face; provide comprehensive health-care services that are accessible and acceptable to transgender people; and manage programmes. Known informally as the TRANSIT (transgender implementation tool), the publication was developed with contributions from over 90 experts from around the world, including many transgender people.

A key feature of the tool is examples of promising practices drawn from programmes around the world, showing how they have tackled challenges and found creative solutions to programming in environments with limited resources, or where legal or social obstacles make it especially difficult to provide services to transgender people.

“The case examples show that it can be done,” said Clifton Cortez, Team Leader, Gender, Key Populations and LGBTI of the HIV, Health and Development Group at UNDP.  Read more via UNDP

Unfinished Business: Taking bolder action to address HIV among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men

MSMGF held the Civil Society Hearings Side Event, Unfinished Business – Taking bolder action to address HIV among gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men, at the United Nations in New York City in close consultation with the Global Platform to Fast Track the HIV and Human Rights Responses Among Gay, Bisexual Men and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men (The Platform), and supported by UNAIDS, UNDP, OGAC/PEPFAR, and the Global Fund. The event exceeded expectations with over 100 participants 

MSMGF notes: Following the Side Event and the Civil Society Hearings in New York, it is even more evident that activists, advocates and civil society organizations must work together tirelessly to influence the United Nations High-Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS (HLM) in June. We must ensure that gay and bisexual men and other men who have sex with men are adequately included and prioritized in the political declaration to emerge from the HLM, which will directly influence the global AIDS response for years to come. It is clear we will not come close to approaching the progress we need without partnerships and avid community activism. Read more via MSMGF

Experts unite to end human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity

LGBTI people across the world often face grave human rights violations, including torture, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, even killing – all because of who they are.

In an unprecedented dialogue, regional and UN human rights experts joined forces to look at their human rights situation, and to call for an end to violence and other human rights violations on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

A report, launched during the 58th Ordinary Session of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights in the Gambia, summarizes the historic dialogue that took place in November 2015 between the African Commission, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and UN human rights experts. The report highlights the impact that human rights violations have on the health of LGBTI people and their access to HIV prevention and care.The report also emphasizes positive developments made around the world in protecting the rights of LGBTI people.

“Violence and other human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity constitute universal challenges that require concerted responses by national, regional and UN human rights institutions,” said Pansy Tlakula, Chairperson of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Read more via OHCHR

Putting human rights at the centre of the AIDS response

The Human Rights Council held a special session to discuss progress in and challenges of addressing human rights issues in the context of the AIDS response. In his keynote speech, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Luiz Loures, stressed that the AIDS response continues to be an instrument for challenging social injustice. He urged countries and all stakeholders in the AIDS response to place human rights and the voice of those most affected by HIV at the centre of the AIDS response.

Participants said that evidence clearly shows that a lack of respect for health-related human rights leads to poorer health outcomes and the transmission of HIV. Discrimination, stigma, violence and other human rights violations continue to undermine efforts to end the AIDS epidemic. The panel called for rights-based responses to AIDS, universal health coverage to ensure equitable access, availability of medicines for all, an end to discrimination in health-care settings and increased investment in human rights programmes.  

There were also calls to eliminate punitive and discriminatory laws that lead to violations of human rights and poorer health outcomes by driving key populations away from HIV services. The panellists stressed that without addressing deeply entrenched inequalities, including gender inequality, and ensuring full enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights, the world will not end the AIDS epidemic. Read more via UNAIDS

Putting human rights at the centre of the AIDS response

The Human Rights Council held a special session to discuss progress in and challenges of addressing human rights issues in the context of the AIDS response. In his keynote speech, UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Luiz Loures, stressed that the AIDS response continues to be an instrument for challenging social injustice. He urged countries and all stakeholders in the AIDS response to place human rights and the voice of those most affected by HIV at the centre of the AIDS response.

Participants said that evidence clearly shows that a lack of respect for health-related human rights leads to poorer health outcomes and the transmission of HIV. Discrimination, stigma, violence and other human rights violations continue to undermine efforts to end the AIDS epidemic. The panel called for rights-based responses to AIDS, universal health coverage to ensure equitable access, availability of medicines for all, an end to discrimination in health-care settings and increased investment in human rights programmes.  

There were also calls to eliminate punitive and discriminatory laws that lead to violations of human rights and poorer health outcomes by driving key populations away from HIV services. The panellists stressed that without addressing deeply entrenched inequalities, including gender inequality, and ensuring full enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights, the world will not end the AIDS epidemic.  Read more via UNAIDS 

World Bank ‘won’t fund’ projects in developing countries that endanger LGBT people

Speaking at the Economist’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ conference taking place concurrently in London, New York and Hong Kong, the President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim spoke about proposals to rein in lending to projects that could end up harming LGBT rights.

Explaining why the bank cut off lending after Uganda passed an Anti-Homosexuality Act, he said: “Right at that moment we were about to approve a $90 million loan to support health clinics in Uganda. I worked as a doctor, and this is an important issue for me… but we looked carefully and we found out that it was possible that active discrimination could happen in these clinics, and because of the requirement to report homosexual behaviour, gay men and women could go to these clinics… and we could actually endanger people from the LGBTI community, so we had to stop that loan.”

He continued: “There were a lot of countries who condemned Uganda… but the money still flowed. We were the only ones who stopped the flow of money. The Ugandans were very angry about this… but [I told the board] I felt it was very important to take this stand. One of the questions was, what would be the implication of taking that kind of action? Well, our business has exploded since then. The Ugandans have repealed that law – the court found it unconstitutional.

“But probably the most encouraging thing was a minister of finance from a developing country came and insisted on seeing me one-on-one, and I didn’t know what it was… he came in and said the Prime Minister wanted me to know there was draconian legislation on homosexual activity going through the Parliament, but he wanted to assure me he would veto it, and it would never become law."  

Read more via Pink News
 

UN: Banning homosexuality fosters hate crime and homophobia, says report

Criminalising homosexuality amounts to torture in many of the 76 countries where same-sex relationships are outlawed, a United Nations report has declared. Prof Juan Mendez, the organisation’s special rapporteur on torture, has called for decriminalisation in his latest submission to the UN’s human rights council on the grounds that the bans – which sometimes carry the death penalty – legitimise homophobia and hate crimes.
 
In one of the strongest denunciations of laws that are enforced in many African, Asian and Middle Eastern states, Mendez, a former Argentinian political prisoner, urges governments to reconsider their statute books: “A clear link exists between the criminalisation of LGBT persons and homophobic and transphobic hate crimes, police abuse, community and family violence and stigmatisation,” his report says. 
 
The report says that in countries where homosexuality is criminalised “men suspected of same-sex conduct are subject to non-consensual anal examinations intended to obtain physical evidence of homosexuality, a practice that is medically worthless and amounts to torture or ill-treatment”.

The UN special rapporteur’s statement will provide legal support for groups such as the London-based Human Dignity Trust  which campaigns to overturn criminalisation. Read more via Guardian