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23 Jul 2014

Anti-gay laws threatening HIV fight, South Asians tell AIDS conference

 

Criminalization of groups such as gay men, sex workers and transgender people are threatening progress in the global effort to fight AIDS, South Asian participants tell the 20th International AIDS Conference in Australia.

India gay rights activist Ashok Kavi told the biennial five-day meeting gathering of 12,000 AIDS activists, scientists and people living with HIV of the “incredible sense of despondency” after India’s Supreme Court reinstated a ban on gay sex in December.

This came after a four-year period of decriminalization of same-sex relations that had helped bring the gay community into the open in the socially conservative country.

Gay people continue to face a social stigma in India, where hugging, kissing and any form of public display of affection by even straight couples is strongly frowned upon.

The gay, lesbian and bisexual community in India is facing severe constraints, waging a legal battle to do away with the British colonial-era “Section 377” law that describes same-sex relations as “unnatural” and punishable with life imprisonment.

South Asian countries such as India along with Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar have retained the British colonial-era law even after independence.

Manisha Dhakal, a Nepalese transgender activist, said certain laws in Nepal – while not criminalizing transgender sex workers – were deliberately used against them.

“When we are walking in the street, people are gathered to see us and there are traffic jams because the taxi drivers also want to see us,” Dhakal said, adding that the commotion often ended in arrest under the Public Offences Act.

“We know that criminalization is bad health policy. It is bad public policy. It doesn’t work to prevent the spread of disease. In fact, it does just the opposite,” the US ambassador to Australia, John Berry, told the session.

“The global fight against HIV and AIDS will not be won by relegating segments of the population to the shadows.”

According to the World Health Organisation, female sex workers are 14 times more likely to have HIV than other women, gay men are 19 times more likely to have HIV than the general population, and transgender women are almost 50 times more likely than other adults to have HIV.

Yet the same groups are least likely to get HIV prevention, testing and treatment services, WHO says.

In 116 countries prostitution is illegal and in 78 countries same-sex relations are a criminal offence.

Reader's Comments

1. 2014-07-24 12:23  
- All people should take anti-HIV treatment for preventive because we do not know or under consciousness of people who spread HIV
and because gay just victim in similar way of hate addressed to gay

- gay you see evident that people always try to attack you by any reasons/ways. some gay perhaps in safe situation but Remember that by increasing population , shadow of such attack will arrive to you.

- You should not blame British for law 377 because you know on how to make law.

- you must also know that Ghost/Evils are hiding
- British probably get threatening from some people that hiding
that is trick of Evil.
- In praying Room / House of God / Baitullah that quite and Holly, Evil feel boring and need entertainment by creating War, Riots everywhere, Libel, and lie that make them very happy and laugh while they preach about love and make deception.

That why War will always happened/never ending to everywhere.

- They want to be called The greatest, no insulting, The latest, The only One, The Number one, The Holly One, The Messenger, The Truth.
etc

- If Evil look like dirty and unholly, than none will follow Evil
- People who are Innocent will be easy to get such deception and they do not know who the truth is.

- So, you gay also should identify who was behind British because British also probably get the same deception
- it could be by money, wealth, Gold, etc.

- Now gay you, try to improve yourself: how if you do not know?
- just trust yourself.
- Try to be holly and find fun substitution because Your Predators will always shadow you sooner or later
- I had been no sex for years, and I am just fine.
- Learn on war too because Religion Born by war.
- You Gay should not be very weak and should know how to be strong
2. 2014-07-24 20:35  
Everybody, Every nation should take anti-virus for preventive and to reduce risk because those who do not want to take the anti virus, those who spread virus and should responsible on their actions.

If they do not want, they must get fine/jailed or sanction to recover all costs related to pill productions and services involved such as Hospital services
Because No Gun would be shoot to their selves.
3. 2014-07-25 19:15  
...
4. 2014-07-27 14:55  
If you think that you like Law made by British, Then British should reveal another Law to protect LGBT and for equal marriage.
British should released new section for Protecting LGBT and for equal marriage.

We will no need local law makers because they can not make law actually. We better to put all British in legislation body.
Why we should pay for people who can not make Law?

It is very bad behavior of law makers that always shaking hand from inability without punishment.

What is Law for Law makers?
How many section are available?
Can you show to public all of Law sections?
If all sections are enough, then we will no need law maker anymore.

Indeed, we all LGBT need International Law makers/courts and army in all countries to protect LGBT and for equal marriage

Just replace all local law makers by British Law makers.
Why we let British law makers went back to British? who made this happened?
British should be in your countries to make new Laws/ sections
So, easy then.
Because we do not believe in local law makers anymore.
5. 2014-07-28 02:44  
i live in Canada a British Commonwealth Country
but we have laws allowing Gay Marriage and no discrimination against
Gays.
so why can't the countries with outdated British anti-gay laws change them?
6. 2014-07-30 12:10  
It is so true that anti-gay laws lead to higher HIV rates. Just look at countries like New Zealand that decriminalised gay sex in the mid-1980s - overall far lower rates of transmission since then.

There's no stigma to being gay, and therefore education can get through and people come forward for testing more readily. I can ask my GP for an HIV test and it's just a simple blood test. No issues. No questions. No problem.

Come on Asia - you're 30 years behind the times!
7. 2014-07-30 21:19  
what is natural what is unnatural? is that evil natural? or Human Natural? Then few Religions are unnatural.

I knew that I was difference since I was kid without Teacher telling me. Mean that Being gay is by nature.
but people will never known Religions from kid until adult without Teacher/Brainwashing, mean that Religions are not nature or from Evil


Those who do not know law can not be charged by Law.
All Law and section should be published and educated since primary school.

All Lawyers at anywhere in The world should have International Humanity Law Certification , not Satanic Law ( that contain defamation, Lie,..)

IF there lawyers or law workers who have no International Humanity Law Certification, should be regarded as Satan Law worker because they do not work for Human.
And those Law workers should be banned to anywhere in the world, should be banned to cross nations, Provinces, or crossing cities.

If law workers want other to obey Law, then all laws should be published.
Law can not be shown for one section.
Those who do not know law can not be charged by Law.

As far, Law workers having immunity from Law, that is against law itself and They should be punished with life imprisonment.

Law workers who get Law immunity is crime.
Human Natural is Humanity, in contrary from Humanity as Satanic.
Satan Law or Satan traits are defamation, Lie agency, deception, inhuman.


Comment edited on 2014-07-31 14:22:35

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