Asia-Pacific Region at Risk for Rising HIV Rates

July 23, 2010

The Asia-Pacific will fail in its efforts to stem rising HIV rates as long as homosexuality is criminalized, according to a report by the United Nations.

According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), gay men and trans people fail to seek HIV testing and medical treatment because of repressive laws against homosexuality.

The UNDP said: "Some 19 of 48 countries in the Asia Pacific region continue to criminalise male-to-male sex.
 

"These laws often taken on the force of vigilantism, frequently leading to abuse and human rights violations. Correspondingly, HIV prevalence has reached alarming levels among men who have sex with men and transgender populations in many countries of the region."
 

Nations which criminalize homosexuality include Malaysia, Singapore and the Pacific-island nation of Kiribati.

Although some nations do recognize gay men as an HIV risk group, police repression and societal discrimination continue to present barriers.

Homophobic laws also prevent support groups from forming out of fear of being targeted.

The UNDP says that if nations in the region fail to repeal their restrictive laws, half of all new infections will be found among gay and bisexual men.