UN expert: Uganda 'anti-homosexuality bill' threatens HIV fight

The so-called 'Anti-Homosexuality Bill' under consideration by the Ugandan Parliament not only violates the fundamental human rights of Ugandans, but will also impede efforts to combat HIV, a United Nations independent expert warned today. "Uganda is in great danger of taking a step backwards–away from realizing human rights for its people and away from an effective, evidence and rights-based HIV response," stressed Anand Grover, the Special Rapporteur on health. Lessons from the past three decades of the HIV epidemic have shown that recognizing the rights of people with different sexual identities is a crucial element of efforts to respond to the virus, he said. In many nations where sex between men is not criminalized and where both stigma and discrimination have been eased, men who have sex with men are more likely to pursue HIV prevention, care, support and treatment services, Mr. Anand emphasized. "I urge the Ugandan Parliament to build on its past successes in responding to HIV and to refrain from passing this bill," he said, noting that several UN human rights conventions ban discrimination on the grounds of sexual identity or orientation.