What did a civil society group called for the Commonwealth States to repeal upon their biennial meeting today?
“The Commonwealth” redirects here. For other uses, see Commonwealth (disambiguation). Commonwealth of Nations Flag The Commonwealth of Nations Headquarters Marlborough House, London, United Kingdom Official language English Membership 53 sovereign states (list) Leaders – Head of the Commonwealth Queen Elizabeth II (since 6 Feb. 1952) – Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma (since 1 Apr. 2008) – Chairperson-in-Office Yoweri Museveni (since 23 Nov. 2007) Establishment – Several relevant dates including: Balfour Declaration 18 November 1926 – Statute of Westminster 11 December 1931 – London Declaration 28 April 1949 Area – Total 31,462,574 km2 12,147,768 sq mi Population – 2005 estimate 1,921,974,000 – Density 61.09/km2 158.2/sq mi Website thecommonwealth.org The Commonwealth of Nations, often referred to as the Commonwealth and previously as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-three independent member
As the Commonwealth heads of government gather for their biennial meeting today, civil society groups have called on member states to repeal discriminatory legislation left behind from the colonial era. In particular they call for laws criminalising sex between men to be repealed. The Port of Spain Civil Society Statement, agreed on Wednesday, called on Commonwealth countries to “work to actively remove and prevent the establishment of legislation which undermines evidence-based effective HIV prevention, treatment and care available to marginalised and vulnerable groups, such as sexual minorities, sex workers and drug users”. Moreover, the civil society groups called on member states to “legislate anti-discrimination acts in support of people with HIV by 2011”. Only six of 53 Commonwealth nations have repealed laws criminalising gay men and other sexual minorities. Moreover the Ugandan parliament is considering an Anti-Homosexuality Bill which would impose the death penalty on HIV-posi
The Port of Spain Civil Society Statement, agreed on Wednesday, called on Commonwealth countries to “work to actively remove and prevent the establishment of legislation which undermines evidence-based effective HIV prevention, treatment and care available to marginalised and vulnerable groups, such as sexual minorities, sex workers and drug users”. Moreover, the civil society groups called on member states to “legislate anti-discrimination acts in support of people with HIV by 2011”. Moreover the Ugandan parliament is considering an Anti-Homosexuality Bill which would impose the death penalty on HIV-positive gay men who continue to have sex as well as criminalising homosexual conduct and any public acknowledgement of the existence of homosexuality. Sources: http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news/0E37E5C4-6302-40D8-AC49-D6967A5AA316.
