UNAIDS on homophobia

The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) is urging Caribbean countries to do more to reduce violence and end discrimination against persons with HIV.



The call comes ahead of Sunday’s observance of International Day Against Homophobia.



A Senior Programme Adviser at the UNAIDS Regional Office in Trinidad and Tobago says 11 out of 12 independent English- speaking countries in the Caribbean, still have laws criminalizing consensual sex acts between men.



Organizers said the intention of observing the International Day Against Homophobia is to highlight the urgent need for joint efforts to reduce and end discrimination based on sexual orientation.



UNAIDS said it continues to receive reports from a number of countries of human rights violations against people on the basis of their sexual orientation and often linked to their HIV status.