In a press conference at the XVIII International AIDS Conference to mark the launch of a new study by UNDP and Asia Pacific Coalition on male sexual health (APCOM), a journalist from Bosnia asked the impact of Sharia law on health outcomes, particularly in context of HIV prevention and care programmes among men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM) and transgender people this study refers to. This study report “Legal Environments, human rights and HIV responses among MSM and transgender people in Asia and the Pacific” is co-published by the UNDP and APCOM.

According to the Commission on AIDS in Asia report 2008, more than 50% of new HIV infections will occur in MSM and transgender people. However, “nine out of ten MSM or transgender don’t receive any service at all” said Shivanand Khan, who was conferred upon the Order of British Empire (OBE) by the British Queen in recognition of his contribution to HIV prevention among MSM. Shivanand Khan is also the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Naz Foundation International (NFI).

Islam, like all other great religions of thew world, speaks for forgiveness, protections and tolerance

“The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has worked with multi-faith religious leaders which included both ‘shia’ and ‘sunni’ religious leaders. Look at the theological basis for addressing homosexuality in particular and also drug use in a different way. Islam like all other great religions of the world speaks of forgiveness, protection and tolerance – and I don’t have any illusions and I do realize that many of the states also condemn same sex relations – but where we are making progress is differentiating between individual and religious views – that people can have an individual view that homosexuality is wrong but the same faith that might underpin that also have important views about tolerance and forgiveness and making a case that inappropriate criminalization, penalization, punishment is not good for the individual or for the broader community” said Jeffrey O’Malley Director, HIV/AIDS Practice, UNDP.

Read the complete article on citizen-news.org.

See the report (PDF) in the APCOM Resource Library.