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Africa and the Middle East
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Latin American and Caribbean
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Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the Health Policy Project's HIV Policy Monitor. This compendium focuses on the advancement, development, and analysis of policies and policy-related data to inform the response to HIV and AIDS at the global, national, and local levels. It includes news items, resources, and innovative policy analysis reports on a wide range of topics such as treatment, key populations issues, gender, and financing for HIV policies and programs. This information demonstrates the importance of policy advances, policy debates, policy advocacy, data analysis, and policy communication (as portrayed in local and international media) in improving the health and well-being of citizens. If you would like to suggest an item for inclusion in the next issue, please send it to: policyinfo@futuresgroup.com |
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Interview
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On December 11, 2013, the Supreme Court of India overturned the 2009 decision of a lower court to decriminalize homosexuality. At the time, the 2009 ruling was hailed as a landmark decision by human rights groups. The newly reinstated law, known as Section 377, bans people from engaging in "carnal acts against the order of nature." The Supreme Court ruled that the law is constitutionally valid and that it was up to Parliament, not the courts, to change it.
HIV Policy Monitor talked with Ron MacInnis, deputy director for HIV programs for the PEPFAR- and USAID-funded Health Policy Project, about this important policy and advocacy issue.
HIV Policy Monitor: How do laws like Section 377 negatively affect the response to HIV?
Ron MacInnis: Homophobia does not disappear with the stroke of a legislative pen or a Supreme Court ruling. But the laws do matter. When a country's laws do not criminalize homosexuality, gay men, men who have sex with men, lesbians, and bisexuals have the legal right to seek protective legal actions and engage with formal institutions to exercise their right to healthcare. In a country where the laws do criminalize homosexuality, the harm is clear. When homosexuality is deemed "criminal" by a country's legal system, these same people are not able to coordinate and publicly support each other in exercising their right to health and HIV-related services.
HIV Policy Monitor: How can civil society work within these laws to help marginalized populations?
Ron MacInnis: Civil society plays an important role in promoting human rights, gender equity, and social inclusion. Across the world, civil society organizations have helped bring together marginalized communities and individuals who are socially and legally isolated to articulate and promote their right to be included in the policy and political processes.
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Policy Analysis
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The U.S. Department of Defense and Global Health: Infectious Disease Efforts
Kaiser Family Foundation
The Kaiser Family Foundation released a report on the Department of Defense's (DoD) work in infectious disease that examines how the activities are organized and funded in the department and how they are coordinated with other U.S. government and external partners. The report also focuses on HIV and AIDS and malaria, areas in which DoD has long-standing experience. Access Challenges for HIV Treatment Among People Living with HIV and Key Populations in Middle-Income Countries
Global Network of People Living With HIV, Global Network of Sex Work Project, International Network of People Who Use Drugs, Global Forum on MSM and HIV, International Treatment Preparedness Coalition
This policy brief looks at the current global commitment to securing affordable HIV treatment and the right to health by identifying key barriers and reviewing issues in scaling up treatment access in middle-income countries. It also provides recommendations for countries on improving treatment access for marginalized populations. Laws and Son Preference in India
UNFPA
http://www.un.org.in/img/uploads/5_Laws_and_Son_Preference_in_India.pdf
By reviewing the text of Indian laws, this study examines loopholes that may affect implementation and interpretation, establish gender bias, and harm gender equity. The review includes an assessment of the absence of critical laws in the areas of discrimination and violence against women and girls. HIV in Asia and the Pacific: Getting to Zero UNAIDS http://www.unaids.org/en/media/unaids/contentassets/documents
/unaidspublication/2011/20110826_APGettingToZero_en.pdf This is an analysis of Asian countries and their response to HIV in terms of domestic resources being spent on the epidemic and the reliance on foreign funding, particularly for antiretroviral therapy. Policy Analysis for Key Populations at Risk of HIV Infection in Togo Health Policy Project http://www.healthpolicyproject.com/index.cfm? ID=publications&get=pubID&pubID=233 This report analyzes the policy environment in Togo for sex workers, men who have sex with men, and prison populations, and reviews gaps in policy and the policy implementation challenges facing such populations. |
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| Models, Tools, and Research | |
LGBTI Persons Deprived of Their Liberty: A Framework for Preventive Monitoring
Association for the Prevention of Torture
This tool analyzes the main risk factors and situations lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) people are exposed to in the criminal justice system, and possible avenues of action to be taken by monitoring bodies.
Circus Monkeys or Change Agents? Civil Society Advocacy for HIV/AIDS in Adverse Policy Environments
Neil Spicer, Andrew Harmer, Julia Aleshkina, Daryna Bodgan, Ketevan Chikhatarashvili, Gulgun Murzaleiva, Natia Rukhadze, Arnol Samiev, Gill Walt
This study reviews the ability of civil service organizations to change government policies. The study found issues with civil service organizations' relationships with governments and challenges due to these organizations being seen as advocates rather than service providers.
Men Who Have Sex with Men Inadequately Addressed in African AIDS National Strategic Plans
Keletso Makofane, Charles Gueboguo, Daniel Lyons, Theo Sandfort
Through an analysis of national strategic plans for AIDS, this study found a need to integrate men who have sex with men into governmental health policies and acknowledge the population's specific HIV- and AIDS-related needs.
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