World

Home
News
World

Uganda’s ‘Kill the Gays Bill’ expected to pass

The Georgia Voice Editors
News
0

Uganda Kill the Gays Bill

Uganda's Anti-Homosexuality Bill, known by opponents as the “Kill the Gays Bill,” was expected to be voted on this week in the African country’s Parliament, where leaders said they want to pass the bill before the Dec. 15 recess as a “Christmas gift” to citizens.

At press time on Monday, Nov. 19, Ugandan newspaper The Daily Monitor reported the bill was likely to be debated Tuesday, Nov. 20.

The Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, wrote in a Nov. 13 letter that there is high public pressure to pass the bill. She has stated she wants the bill passed before the end of the year to give as a “Christmas gift” to the people of Uganda.

Obama issues new initiatives to advance LGBT rights abroad

The Georgia Voice Editors
News
0

President Obama's administration announced it would no longer defend DOMA in court

President Barack Obama today issued a memorandum to the heads of each executive branch directing government agencies to “promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons.”

“I am deeply concerned by the violence and discrimination targeting LGBT persons around the world — whether it is passing laws that criminalize LGBT status, beating citizens simply for joining peaceful LGBT Pride celebrations, or killing men, women, and children for their perceived sexual orientation,” the memo reads.

The president ordered agencies under the executive branch to combat the criminalization of LGBT status or conduct, protect LGBT refugees and assylum seekers, issue “swift and meaningful” responses to human rights abuses of LGBT persons abroad, and engage international gay rights organizations in the fight against LGBT discrimination.

CDC: ‘New hope’ in curbing HIV but fight far from over

The Georgia Voice Editors
News
0

The CDC's Kevin Fenton discusses HIV and AIDS progress on teleconference

As World AIDS Day approaches on Thursday, Dec. 1, officials at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced today there is "new hope" in fighting the disease after scientific studies show that treatment of those who are HIV positive leads to prevention of its spread. However, the fight is also "far from over," experts said.

Between 2006-2009, new HIV infections in the U.S. stayed stable at about 50,000 new infections a year, according to the CDC. Last month, U.N. AIDS reported the numbers of new infections reached a "plateau" with 2.7 million people newly infected each year for the last five years.

"The bottom line — we are in a time of new hope," said CDC Director Thomas Frieden in a teleconference call with reporters to discuss its Vital Signs report released today.

World AIDS Day strives to raise awareness

The Georgia Voice Editors
News
0

AIDS Memorial Quilt

Since 1988 when World AIDS Day was conceived by the World Health Organization, people around the globe have made Dec. 1 a time to raise awareness about the pandemic that has taken the lives of more than 617,000 people in the U.S. and 30 million worldwide since its beginnings 30 years ago.

In Atlanta and Georgia, numerous events are planned including free HIV testing by AIDS service organizations and health departments. This year’s theme is “Getting to Zero” — zero new infections, zero AIDS cases and zero stigma.

But remembering AIDS for one day out of the year is not enough, said Michael Baker, director of development for Positive Impact in Atlanta, an organization that focuses on culturally competent mental health counseling, substance abuse treatment and risk reduction services to those who are affected by HIV.

United Nations approves ‘groundbreaking’ LGBT resolution

The Georgia Voice Editors
News
0

Sec. of State Hillary Clinton

The United Nations’ Human Rights Council voted 23 to 19 on June 17 to approve a resolution that expresses “grave concern at acts of violence and discrimination, in all regions of the world, committed against individuals because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.”

The resolution, approved at a meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, calls for the creation of a U.N. commission to document discriminatory laws, practices, and violence against individuals based on their sexual orientation or gender identity around the world.

The study is to recommend “how international human rights law can be used to end violence and related human rights violations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.”

By the numbers: World AIDS Day

The Georgia Voice Editors
News
0

60 million

People worldwide infected with HIV since the start of the epidemic.

25 million

People worldwide who have died of AIDS-related causes.

2.7 million

New HIV infections worldwide in 2008, the most recent year for complete statistics.

1.1 million

Estimated Americans currently living with HIV.

1st

Ranking of male-to-male sexual conduct among the common transmission modes for HIV in the United States.

Young gay men less likely to get HIV testing, CDC says

The Georgia Voice Editors
News
0

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Atlanta

The Centers for Disease Control released results from a survey today citing an alarming trend in HIV testing for young men (ages 18 -24). The survey, conducted using a website where men go to meet other men for sex (the website was not identified in the press release), found that younger sexually active gay and bisexual men were three times less likely to have been tested for HIV in their lifetime. The results were presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference in Vienna, Austria.