More feature stories on punitive laws

UNAIDS Executive Director praises Algeria as a regional leader and pioneer in the HIV response
03 April 2012|
In a meeting on 2 April with the President of the Algerian Senate, Abdelkader Bensalah, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé commended Algeria as a champion in the AIDS response—both at home and across the region.
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights creates a specialized unit to address human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual, trans and intersex people
14 March 2012|
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) has created a specialized technical unit to strengthen its capacity to protect the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and intersex (LGBTI) people in the Americas.
UNAIDS and UNDP commend New Zealand’s leadership in the HIV response
13 March 2012|
UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé and UNDP Administrator Helen Clark praised New Zealand as a model for the AIDS response in a joint meeting on 6 March with the country’s Prime Minister, John Key.
Sex workers advocate for access to health care and legal services
Sex workers advocate for access to health care and legal services
12 March 2012|
More than 150 male and female sex workers marched through the Central Business District (CBD) of Nairobi, Kenya on 3 March claiming respect for their rights. Participants wearing masks signifying the hidden nature of their work walked from Koinange Street—Nairobi’s leading venue for sex work—to the Mayor’s office at City Hall.
President of Fiji commits to easing HIV burden for women in the Pacific region
08 March 2012|
Speaking at a meeting on International Women’s Day in Suva, capital city of Fiji, UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé praised President Ratu Epeli Nailitikau for his “remarkable leadership” and personal engagement in the AIDS response at country, regional and global levels.
Joint UN Statement calls for the closure of compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers
08 March 2012|
Twelve United Nations entities have issued a joined statement calling for the closure of compulsory drug detention and rehabilitation centers. The existence of such centers—which have been operating in many countries for the last 20 years—raises human rights issues and threatens the health of detainees, including through increased vulnerability to HIV and tuberculosis (TB) infection.
UNDP and UNAIDS Leaders Begin High Level Joint Mission in New Zealand
05 March 2012|
The Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Helen Clark, and the Executive Director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), Michel Sidibé, began a three day mission in New Zealand—the first joint mission by the two UN leaders in this Pacific country.
Q&A with Ambrose Rachier, Chair of the HIV Equity Tribunal in Kenya
23 February 2012|
At the June 2011 High Level Meeting on AIDS, world leaders pledged to eliminate stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV by promoting laws and policies that advance human rights and fundamental freedoms. The recent creation of an HIV Equity Tribunal in Kenya—the first of its kind globally—represents a bold step towards achieving this goal.
Nordic countries continue to back the AIDS
Nordic countries continue to back the AIDS response
15 February 2012|
The Nordic countries have reiterated their commitment to HIV and to doing their part to help countries reach the ambitious targets set out by United Nations Member States in the 2011 Political Declaration on AIDS.
UN Secretary-General speaks against discrimination based on sexual orientation
30 January 2012|
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon stressed the need to anchor Africa’s development to the respect for human rights. “The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a promise to all people in all places at all times,” said Mr Ban at the 18th annual meeting of the African Union.
Integrating human rights, gender equality and HIV prevention in national HIV responses
27 September 2011|
UNAIDS brought together nearly 60 participants from 12 countries across Eastern and Southern Africa to a 3-day training workshop on expanding human rights, gender and HIV prevention programmes in national responses to HIV.
Expert meeting reviews scientific, medical, legal and human rights issues related to the criminalization of HIV exposure and transmission
07 September 2011|
World leading scientists and medical practitioners joined legal experts and civil society representatives to discuss the scientific, medical, legal and human rights aspects of the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure, exposure and transmission.
Stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV remains widespread in Asia and the Pacific, report shows
29 August 2011|
People living with HIV in the Asia-Pacific region often experience high levels of discrimination within in a variety of environments, according to The People Living with HIV Stigma Index: Asia Pacific Regional Analysis launched on the fourth day of the 10th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific, held in Busan, Republic of Korea.
‘Confront legal and policy barriers to HIV’: Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Dialogue on HIV and the Law
12 August 2011|
To better understand the legal barriers to the AIDS response, the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, launched by UNDP and UNAIDS in June 2010, held its Regional Dialogue for sub-Saharan Africa at the beginning of August in Pretoria, South Africa
New report explores implications of tests to estimate timing of HIV infection for criminal prosecutions
04 August 2011|
The UK charity National AIDS Trust (NAT) launched a report on 4 August 2011 that explores the validity and meaning of Recent Infection Testing Algorithm HIV tests, or RITA tests, within the context of criminal prosecutions of HIV transmission.
Historic resolution on human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity adopted at the Human Rights Council
27 June 2011|
The United Nations Human Rights Council passed a historic resolution entitled Human rights, sexual orientation and gender identity on 14 June.
High Level meeting side-event calls for full inclusion and recognition of key populations at risk of HIV in all responses to HIV
09 June 2011|
A community dialogue event on 9 June brought together people from key affected populations to reinforce their call for a human rights-based approach to HIV programming.
Harnessing the power and leadership of parliamentarians in the AIDS response
07 June 2011|
The world’s parliaments and parliamentarians have a crucial role to play in an effective response to the AIDS epidemic. How this influence can be harnessed in the challenge to HIV was the central theme of a meeting held on the eve of the UN High Level Meeting on AIDS in New York.
Photography exhibition in Egypt documents the power of people to create social change and calls for end to HIV-related stigma
20 May 2011|
To highlight the power of people to create social change including ending HIV-related stigma, a photography exhibition has opened in Cairo. It displays a combination of portraits from the Egyptian revolution that took place in January 2011 and portraits submitted to a World AIDS Day photo contest in 2010 by young photographers under the theme Positive faces.
International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia
17 May 2011|
UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé highlights the importance of stopping stigma and discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

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01 July 2013

Kenya and the Global Fund and UNAIDS signal partnership. More

01 July 2013

UNAIDS and Lancet Commission address strategic challenges for the future of AIDS and global health. More

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