- The United Nations has condemned the sentencing of nine gay activists in Senegal, saying it has no place in the response to the AIDS epidemic. The Senegalese court jailed nine men working to provide condoms and HIV treatment in Senegal to 8 years imprisonment for indecent conduct and unnatural acts last week.
Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS, Michel Sidibé said homophobia is a major setback, saying universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support must be accessible to all people including gay men.
"This will only happen if the men convicted are released and steps taken to rebuild trust with affected communities," he added.
UNAIDS has teamed up with civil society organisations, and other UN agencies including the European Union, to ensure the release of the detainees. Their case is currently on appeal.
The UN said that homophobia and criminalisation of consensual adult sexual behavior represent major barriers to effective responses to HIV. Homosexuality is illegal in Senegal.
"Such responses depend on the protection of the dignity and rights of all those affected by HIV, including their right and ability to organize and educate their communities, advocate on their behalf, and access HIV prevention and treatment services," it said in a statement.
The UN has also urged the Senegalese government to eliminate stigma and discrimination faced by gay men and create an enabling legal environment to protect their rights including better access for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support services.
The UN has further called for protection of gays rights despite their sexual orientation or gender identity.
"Those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual, those who are transgender, transsexual or intersex, are full and equal members of the human family and are entitled to be treated as such," the statement quoted the UN human rights chief Navi Pillay.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español