WHO Promotes Decriminalization for Gays, Issues MSM Guidelines

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called for an end to the criminalization of gays, and issued a set of safety guidelines for men who have sex with men (MSM).

The WHO issued a statement on June 21 that appealed to nations where sexual contact between consenting adults of the same gender is illegal, encouraging governments with anti-gay laws to set those statutes aside in the name of public health, the Associated Press reported on June 21. Gay men living in oppressive nations may avoid HIV testing and treatment, and in doing so, help drive the spread of HIV.

Testing and early treatment are crucial to the long-term health of HIV-positive individuals. Moreover, people living with HIV are far less likely to infect others if they are on an effective regimen of anti-retrovirals.

The AP article said that there are an estimated 76 countries around the world deny gay men equitable medical attention, through either anti-gay laws or discriminatory treatment, and said that those nations are "among the hardest-hit by the HIV epidemic."

In those countries, gay men are afraid to seek testing and treatment because they might be attacked or identified as gay.

"If we do not pay major emphasis and attention to the epidemic in key populations we will not be able to eliminate it," the WHO's Gottfried Hirnshall, who heads up the organization's HIV division.

"Up to 40 percent of gay and bisexual men in some countries are HIV positive, according to WHO," the article said. "That figure can be as high as 68 percent among transgender populations."

The article also noted that, in a timely coincidence, the U.N. Human Rights Council approved a resolution decrying discrimination against sexual minorities in nations around the world. The resolution was passed over the objections of some anti-gay counties.

Mariangela Simao of UNAIDS praised that resolution because, she said, it might help ease the legal and social persecution gays suffer, and eventually bring down HIV rates.

The WHO also took an active role in attempting educational outreach with a newly-issued set of guidelines for safer practices for men who have sex with men (MSM), a demographic that often self-identifies as heterosexual despite engaging in sex with others of the same gender. The guidelines also included information on safer sex practices with transgender partners.

"Developed in consultation with key stakeholders and civil society around the globe, the guidelines assess the effectiveness of available interventions and emphasize the importance of a human rights approach to healthcare for these populations," the release stated.

"The guidelines come at a time when HIV rates among MSM are surpassing 20% in a wide range of countries, including Jamaica, Mexico, Thailand and Zambia," the release added. "Despite the clear need for services, it is estimated that fewer than one in ten MSM around the world have access to even the most basic HIV prevention and treatment options.

"While data on the epidemic among transgender people is extremely scarce, reports indicate that rates of HIV infection and access to services for this population are even worse," added the release.

"The release of these guidelines is an important step toward achieving the standard of health and human rights that all MSM and transgender people deserve," said the head of MSMGF, Dr. George Ayala. "The recommendations give policy officials and healthcare professionals evidence-based guidance for serving our communities, and they offer civil society a benchmark to which we can hold our governments accountable."

"The guidelines profile a number of prevention and treatment interventions targeting MSM and transgender people, including condom use, behavioral interventions, internet-based strategies, and anti-retroviral treatment," the release said. "The document then gives technical recommendations for each category of intervention based on available evidence."

The guidelines also provide "Good Practice Recommendations," the release noted.

"[T]hese principles include human rights protections for MSM and transgender people, elimination of stigma and violence against these groups, and inclusive health services with enhanced sensitivity and education among healthcare professionals," added the release.

"Stigma, discrimination and human rights violations have played a major role in blocking access to essential health services for MSM and transgender people in all world regions," MSMGF Policy Associate Krista Lauer said.

"These abuses are especially damaging when they are inflicted by healthcare professionals," added Lauer. "This document sends a clear message to the health sector that discrimination against MSM and transgender people is not only unacceptable, it completely undermines efforts to deliver an effective public health response to HIV."

"The recommendations are solid, benefiting from the input of community-based organizations around the world," Ayala said. "Now these recommendations must be integrated within country AIDS responses, combining effective interventions to ensure maximum impact.

"As we move forward, it is essential that civil society remains meaningfully involved in every step of the process," Ayala added. "Community organizations have been at the heart of the HIV response for MSM and transgender people since the epidemic began -- their expertise, leadership and steadfast commitment hold the key to bringing this crisis to an end."