Sexual politics in July 2016

Between July 12^th and 15^th, right before the Durban International AIDS Conference, SPW organized a seminar in Umhlanga, the Northern District of the City. Thirty four researchers and activists from the Africa, Asia, the Americas and Europe discussed key trends in sexual politics at regional and country levels as well as in specific domains such as queer theorizing, sexual rights, abortion, sex work and HIV &Aids. Check the photos.

At the International Aids Conference (IAC) itself, ABIA – the Brazilian Interdisciplinary Association for AIDS where SPW is hosted — launched the report “Myth vs. Reality: evaluating the Brazilian response to HIV in 2016”. The publication examines the setbacks of Brazilian policy response to HIV& AIDS.

In relation to the IAC it is interesting to report that, at least in parallel events, the criminalization of sexuality had some visibility. Two pre conference events on the subject were organized, the first by Ford Foundations and the second by AIDS, Rights Alliance for Southern Africa ARASA. Sonia Corrêa, SPW co-chair, participated in the first debate, and Susana Fried, a close partner was a presenter in the later. Check here to have access to their reflections as well as to the case study presented by Alejandro Brito (Letra S/Mexico) at the Ford Foundation event and to the report — coincidently launched by RESURJ in early July –, assessing the shortcomings of resorting to criminal law to redress human rights violations.

At the abortion frontline, a groundbreaking recommendation of the UN Human Rights Committee is to be reported. In its periodical review of Argentina’s commitment to civil and political rights the Committee recommended the implementation of a consistent abortion law reform in Argentina.

In what concerns sex work, Iranian health officials faced with the challenge of soaring rates of HIV transmission have established clinics to provide STD and contraceptive services to prostitutes, a policy measure that may openly contradicts sharia stringent condemnation of commercial sex.

At the Organization of American States, a Core Group on the Rights of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Intersex Persons has been established. In the same realm of LGTB rights another relevant event was the creation in Montevideo of the Equal Rights Coalition (here and here). Fernando d’Elio from Akakatá reports (in Spanish). Lastly, Gender IT has published an insightful analysis by Namita and Jan Moolman on the outcomes of the 32 Session of the Human Rights Council.

From Brazil, the Observatory of Prostitution reports on the harsh attacks by ‘radfems’ against sex workers and transwomen.

We recommend

Publications and resources

Oral histories of LGBT people in Mongolia

“All Women, All Rights, Sex Workers Included: U.S. Foreign Assistance and the Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights of Female Sex Workers“, by Change (Center for Health and Gender Equality)

The Road to Successful Partnerships: How governments in the Global North can effectively partner with intermediary organizations to support LGBTI communities in the Global South and East, by Global Philanthropy Project

Papers and articles

Kohl’s new issue: Beyond Victims and Savages – The Complexities of Violence, Resistance, and Pleasure

Bill Gates’ silver-bullet misfiring at the Mandela Memorial Lecture, by Pambazuka News

Why most Syrian men are not joining ISIS – openDemocracy

Check it out

Health and Human Rights Journal (Harvard School of Public Health) is calling for papers for a special section on abortion and human rights