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After the Regional Dialogues on HIV and the Law [English & Spanish]

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After the Regional Dialogues on HIV and the Law [English & Spanish]

Published on Friday, 28 March 2014 13:01
[Originally published in contributed by Virginie Leclerc, UNDP Latin America and the Caribbean Regional Centre, and published in the UNDP HIV, Health and Development Network Update]

The Regional Dialogue on HIV and the Law that was organized in Sao Paulo in 2011 generated genuine interest among participants to the extent that the HIV, Health and Development Cluster received requests from 8 countries to replicate the experience at country level. Between 2011 and the end of 2013, the regional cluster assisted Belize, Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Guatemala to carry out national dialogues, applying the same methodology as the Sao Paulo regional dialogue. An intensive preparatory phase preceded each dialogue which promoted country level ownership. Each dialogue was led by a national counterpart: a civil society organization in Belize and Panama; the Ombudsman office in El Salvador, Costa Rica and Guatemala, and a governmental institution in Honduras, Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

Each country conducted an assessment of the legal environment in preparation for the dialogue and reports of the national dialogue including ​​recommendations and follow up actions on HIV and the Law were prepared afterwards. These recommendations were presented by the HHD cluster to the National Congress in Guatemala, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama. In addition, a sensitization workshop was held for 45 judges of the Family law Jurisdiction in Panama and support was provided for the development of an institutional strategy for the Ombudsman office in Costa Rica. At regional level, a regional workshop -attended by 70 representatives from all LAC countries – was organized for the launch of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law Report and sub-regional Mesoamerican meeting on Legal Services for people with HIV and key populations was attended by the Deans of Law faculties, directors of legal clinics, civil society groups, litigation officers and representatives from the Ombudsman´s offices from 7 Central American countries. Outcomes:
  1. Five HIV Laws have been drafted and in the process of being submitted to Congress: Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, and Uruguay
  2. A special unit dealing with HIV-related cases was created within the Office of the Ombudsman in Costa Rica.
  3. The elimination of punitive articles in the current HIV law of Dominican Republic
  4. A new anti-discrimination law is currently being prepared in Dominican Republic
  5. Four countries are in processes of drafting, consulting or waiting approval of new gender identity laws: Bolivia, Nicaragua, Guatemala and El Salvador
 Luego de los Diálogos Regionales sobre el VIH y el Derecho… El Diálogo Regional sobre el VIH y el Derecho realizado en Sao Paulo generó mucho interés entre los participantes al punto que el clúster regional de VSD recibió solicitudes de réplicas en 8 países: Belice, Panamá, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, República Dominicana, Uruguay y Guatemala. Entre 2011 y 2013, se realizaron los 8 diálogos utilizando la misma metodología del dialogo regional. Todos contaron con actividades preparatorias y de seguimiento, y todos han generados resultados a nivel de cada país y regional. En todos los países ha habido mucha apropiación de los procesos de preparación de los diálogos. En Belice y panamá, la convocatoria fue liderada por organizaciones de la Sociedad civil; en El Salvador, Costa Rica y Guatemala los diálogos fueron liderados por las respectivas oficinas de los Derechos Humanos y en Honduras, República Dominicana y Uruguay fueron organizaciones de gobierno. La preparación de cada dialogo fue precedida por un análisis del ambiente legal en cada país y después del dialogo todos los países han realizados informes de recomendaciones y seguimiento sobre VIH y el Derecho.

Además, se realizaron presentaciones en los Congresos Nacionales de Guatemala, Uruguay, Costa Rica, Honduras y Panamá para promover modificaciones a las leyes de VIH; se realizó un taller de Sensibilización a 45 jueces de la jurisdicción de familia en Panamá, se apoyó la producción de una estrategia de institucionalización del tema de VIH en Costa Rica. A nivel regional se organizó un taller de Lanzamiento de las Recomendaciones de la Comisión Global al cual participaron más de 70 invitados de toda la región y se realizó una reunión Sub regional sobre Servicios Legales relacionados con el VIH y Poblaciones Clave dirigido a los decano de la Facultad de Derecho, los directores de Consultorios Jurídicos, los abogados litigantes y las oficinas de los procuradores de los derechos humanos de 7 países.

Resultados de impacto:
  1. Cinco Leyes de VIH redactadas en proceso de ser presentadas en la Legislatura para su debate:(Panamá, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Honduras, Uruguay)
  2. Creación de una unidad especial de VIH en la Defensoría de los Habitantes de la República de Costa Rica
  3. Eliminación de los artículos punitivos de la Ley de VIH de República Dominicana
  4. Preparación de una ley contra la discriminación en República Dominicana
  5. Cuatro procesos de leyes de identidad de género: Bolivia, Nicaragua , Guatemala y El Salvado
  Download National Dialogue Reports for Honduras, Guatemala and Costa Rica

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