This date seeks to reduce inequality among one of the least listened to minorities.
March 1st marks the return of " Zero Discrimination Day ," a day that aims to curb all forms of discrimination. This 2023, the theme accompanying the holiday, promoted by UNAIDS, is "Decriminalization saves lives."
Under this motto, which changes annually, the goal is to demonstrate how decriminalizing key populations and people living with HIV can save lives and contribute to progress toward ending the AIDS pandemic.
HOW DO CRIMINAL LAWS AFFECT THESE PEOPLE?
According to UNAIDS , these rulings, which target key populations and people living with HIV, violate their human rights, exacerbate the social stigma they face, and endanger them by creating obstacles to the support and services they need to protect their health.
MUCH WORK TO DO
In 2021, small changes were made globally to repeal criminal laws targeting key populations and people living with HIV. Recognizing that decriminalization is essential for change, countries committed to ensuring that by 2025, fewer than 10% of their countries would have criminalization legal and regulatory frameworks that affect the HIV response.
However, despite the progress made in this area, much remains to be done, and until this changes, we will remain far from achieving the goal of a world of equality for all. Below are the alarming figures for the reforms still in progress:
- 134 countries explicitly criminalize or otherwise prosecute the disclosure, concealment, or transmission of HIV.
- 20 countries penalize or persecute transgender people.
- 153 criminalize at least one aspect of sex work.
- 67 criminalize sexual relations between people of the same sex.
- 48 countries continue to impose entry restrictions on people living with HIV.
- 53 report requiring HIV testing to, for example, obtain marriage certificates or to practice certain professions.
- 106 countries state that parental consent is required for adolescents to access HIV testing.