Legal reform accross the Commonwealth for an effective response to HIV/AIDS. The time is now!!!!!

[Guest guest]

Dear colleagues of the AIDS treatments group, I am writing to you regarding our campaign and advocacy efforts in the run up to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place on 27-30 October in Perth, Western Australia. The heads of Commonwealth nations meet every two years and outline an agenda for collaboration that is taken forward with the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat – which is in effect an inter-governmental technical support provider for all Government Ministries. I am sure you share with us a strong sense of anger and frustration at the repressive legal frameworks in many Commonwealth countries that continue to criminalise people just for their sexual orientation, their profession or being HIV positive, which hinders effective HIV programming and fuels human rights violations committed against men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, transgender women, people living with HIV, sex workers and others (Alliance report: “Enabling legal environments for effective HIV responses: A leadership challenge for the Commonwealth”). The Commonwealth was founded on the principle of promoting democracy, good governance and human rights and that the Commonwealth of Nations could play a more progressive role in politically promoting and technically supporting law reform which is why we are targeting the next Commonwealth Heads of Government. We understand that many Commonwealth governments remain hostile to progress on legal reform from the human rights perspective, which is why we have been using our HIV lens to introduce legal reform as an imperative for an effective HIV response . The Commonwealth has a disproportionally high burden of HIV and our experience shows us that structural barriers and discriminatory legal frameworks remain a key barrier to turning around their epidemics. We have been engaged in advocacy focused on the Commonwealth for over two years now and are optimistic that this Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting can make a strong commitment to legal reform, there are positive signs: - The draft report of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (which will be on the agenda of CHOGM states: “Heads of Government should take steps to encourage the repeal of laws that may impede the effective response of Commonwealth countries to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and commit to programmes of education that would help a process of repeal of such laws.”)- The Commonwealth Secretary general recently stated: “Vilification and targeting on grounds of sexual orientation are at odds with the values of the Commonwealth”- Just a few days ago week, the Commonwealth Civil society Forum has also called for the Commonwealth to “commit to programmes that mitigate the HIV and AIDS pandemic, including decriminalising same-sex sexual conduct”. As part of the Alliance’s What’s Preventing Prevention Campaign, the Alliance is co-organising a campaign action with the Commonwealth HIV and AIDS Action Group (CHAAG) and the Australian Federation of Aids Organisations (AFAO), calling on the Commonwealth governments to prioritize law reform and include language similar to this into the final 'CHOGM Communique', which the Commonwealth Heads of Government will sign up to and endorse on October 30th in Perth, Western Australia. (More information on the campaign) We need to increase political pressure from all countries for a law reform agenda, ensure that the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Foundation allocate staffing and financial resources to assisting Ministries of Justice to reform harmful laws, and enable our colleagues in-country to use the Communique's paragraph(s) as an advocacy tool with their governments. Your support could make a real difference. In particular, can we suggest the following: Ø Encourage your organizations, networks and partner organisations to take action on our What’s Preventing Prevention? Campaign website. Ø Write a letter/email (see sample text attached) to your Head of State and Foreign Affairs Minister (both of whom are likely to attend the CHOGM) and to high commissions of Commonwealth countries in your capital, asking them to ensure legal reform is on the CHOGM agenda.Ø Use twitter (adding #PrevHIV), and the campaign’s eforum to spread the word (you can sign up to it on www.whatspreventingprevention.org).Ø Ask for a meeting with your Foreign Affairs Ministry to explain our goals and the need for change. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information, sources, support or to let us know about your activities. Thank you very much for your collaboration, Enrique Restoy Campaign Manager          Preece House, 91-101 Davigdor Road, Hove, BN3 1RE, UK Direct line: +441273718912 Office switchboard: +44 1273 718900 Mobile: +44 7889 603614 Fax: +44 1273 718901 www.whatspreventingprevention.org Legal Disclaimer

http://www.aidsalliance.org/Pagedetails.aspx?Id=477

[Guest guest]

Dear colleagues of the AIDS treatments group, I am writing to you regarding our campaign and advocacy efforts in the run up to Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) taking place on 27-30 October in Perth, Western Australia. The heads of Commonwealth nations meet every two years and outline an agenda for collaboration that is taken forward with the support of the Commonwealth Secretariat – which is in effect an inter-governmental technical support provider for all Government Ministries. I am sure you share with us a strong sense of anger and frustration at the repressive legal frameworks in many Commonwealth countries that continue to criminalise people just for their sexual orientation, their profession or being HIV positive, which hinders effective HIV programming and fuels human rights violations committed against men who have sex with men, people who use drugs, transgender women, people living with HIV, sex workers and others (Alliance report: “Enabling legal environments for effective HIV responses: A leadership challenge for the Commonwealth”). The Commonwealth was founded on the principle of promoting democracy, good governance and human rights and that the Commonwealth of Nations could play a more progressive role in politically promoting and technically supporting law reform which is why we are targeting the next Commonwealth Heads of Government. We understand that many Commonwealth governments remain hostile to progress on legal reform from the human rights perspective, which is why we have been using our HIV lens to introduce legal reform as an imperative for an effective HIV response . The Commonwealth has a disproportionally high burden of HIV and our experience shows us that structural barriers and discriminatory legal frameworks remain a key barrier to turning around their epidemics. We have been engaged in advocacy focused on the Commonwealth for over two years now and are optimistic that this Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting can make a strong commitment to legal reform, there are positive signs: - The draft report of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (which will be on the agenda of CHOGM states: “Heads of Government should take steps to encourage the repeal of laws that may impede the effective response of Commonwealth countries to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and commit to programmes of education that would help a process of repeal of such laws.”)- The Commonwealth Secretary general recently stated: “Vilification and targeting on grounds of sexual orientation are at odds with the values of the Commonwealth”- Just a few days ago week, the Commonwealth Civil society Forum has also called for the Commonwealth to “commit to programmes that mitigate the HIV and AIDS pandemic, including decriminalising same-sex sexual conduct”. As part of the Alliance’s What’s Preventing Prevention Campaign, the Alliance is co-organising a campaign action with the Commonwealth HIV and AIDS Action Group (CHAAG) and the Australian Federation of Aids Organisations (AFAO), calling on the Commonwealth governments to prioritize law reform and include language similar to this into the final 'CHOGM Communique', which the Commonwealth Heads of Government will sign up to and endorse on October 30th in Perth, Western Australia. (More information on the campaign) We need to increase political pressure from all countries for a law reform agenda, ensure that the Commonwealth Secretariat and Commonwealth Foundation allocate staffing and financial resources to assisting Ministries of Justice to reform harmful laws, and enable our colleagues in-country to use the Communique's paragraph(s) as an advocacy tool with their governments. Your support could make a real difference. In particular, can we suggest the following: Ø Encourage your organizations, networks and partner organisations to take action on our What’s Preventing Prevention? Campaign website. Ø Write a letter/email (see sample text attached) to your Head of State and Foreign Affairs Minister (both of whom are likely to attend the CHOGM) and to high commissions of Commonwealth countries in your capital, asking them to ensure legal reform is on the CHOGM agenda.Ø Use twitter (adding #PrevHIV), and the campaign’s eforum to spread the word (you can sign up to it on www.whatspreventingprevention.org).Ø Ask for a meeting with your Foreign Affairs Ministry to explain our goals and the need for change. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for further information, sources, support or to let us know about your activities. Thank you very much for your collaboration, Enrique Restoy Campaign Manager          Preece House, 91-101 Davigdor Road, Hove, BN3 1RE, UK Direct line: +441273718912 Office switchboard: +44 1273 718900 Mobile: +44 7889 603614 Fax: +44 1273 718901 www.whatspreventingprevention.org Legal Disclaimer

http://www.aidsalliance.org/Pagedetails.aspx?Id=477