God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

UNAIDS strategy goal by 2015:

• Zero tolerance for gender-based violence.

Violence and the threat of violence can hamper people’s ability to adequately protect themselves from HIV infection and assert healthy sexual decision-making. In many countries, sex workers, people who use drugs and sexual minorities experience illegal law enforcement in the form of violence, rape, harassment and arbitrary arrest. All forms of gender-based violence and discrimination—against women and girls, men who have sex with men, transgender people and sex workers—should be recognised as human rights violations and as elements that can increase vulnerability to HIV. UNAIDS calls for programmes to eliminate gender-based violence and discrimination.

more info: www.unaids.org

UNAIDS strategy goal by 2015:

• HIV-specific needs of women and girls are addressed in at least half of all national HIV responses.

Women make up nearly 52% of the global total of people living with HIV. In sub-Saharan Africa, 60% of people living with HIV are women and girls. HIV-related funding do not fully address women’s vulnerabilities, for example, programmes for discordant couples, young women and female sex workers and programmes to change harmful gender norms and economic disempowerment. UNAIDS calls for building on the synergies between the gender and AIDS response for positive change to the lives of women and girls. All women and girls vulnerable to HIV should benefit from a wide range of prevention, treatment, care and support programmes that are tailored to the particular realities of their lives. Integration of HIV and sexual and reproductive health programmes.

more info: www.unaids.org

UNAIDS strategy goal by 2015:

• HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence eliminated in half of the countries that have such restrictions.

In 2010, 49 countries, territories and areas impose some form of restriction on the entry, stay and residence of people living with HIV based on HIV status. To restrict liberty of movement or choice of residence based on suspected or real HIV status alone, including HIV screening of international travellers is discriminatory. UNAIDS calls for the global freedom of movement for people living with HIV and the elimination of discriminatory HIV-related travel restrictions.

more info: www.unaids.org

UNAIDS strategy goal by 2015:

• Countries with punitive laws and practices around HIV transmission, sex work, drug use or homosexuality that block effective responses reduced by half.

Punitive laws, polices, practices, stigma and discrimination can block effective responses to HIV by driving people away from HIV services. They can reduce an individual’s ability to avoid HIV as well as impact people living with HIV. In 2010, 71% of countries have laws prohibiting discrimination against people living with HIV. Also 2010, 67% of countries reported policies or laws that impede access to HIV services by certain populations, including minors. Problematic laws—and law enforcement—include those that restrict women’s equal access to education, employment, property, credit or divorce; law enforcement that can drive sex workers, men who have sex with men and people who use drugs underground and away from HIV services; and overly broad laws on the criminalization of HIV transmission. UNAIDS calls for protective laws and measures to ensure that all people benefit from HIV programmes and have access to justice, regardless of health status, gender, sexual orientation, drug use or sex work. Significant expansion of programmes that empower civil society to know and demand their rights is needed. These include programmes to reduce HIV-related stigma and discrimination, provide legal aid and legal literacy, reform laws, train police on non-discrimination, reach out to vulnerable populations, address violence against women and train health-care workers on non-discrimination, informed consent and confidentiality.

more info: www.unaids.org