UN Warns: Criminalizing Gay Sex Hampers AIDS Fight
The United Nations has warned that countries criminalizing gay sex are hindering the fight against HIV/AIDS. Sixty-seven countries, nearly half of which are in Africa, have laws that criminalize same-sex relations. In these countries, HIV prevalence rates among gay men are about five times higher compared to countries where such relations are not criminalized. The executive director of UNAids emphasized that when LGBTQ+ individuals and marginalized communities are stigmatized and criminalized, their access to lifesaving health services is obstructed, undermining the HIV response. The UN called for stronger leadership in countering anti-rights narratives and investing in HIV prevention methods.