Overview : The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the UN’s global development network, advocating for change and connecting countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. We are on the ground in 170 countries and territories, working with governments and people on their own solutions to global and national development challenges to help empower lives and build resilient nations. The HIV, Health and Development Strategy 2016-2021: ‘Connecting the Dots’ elaborates UNDP's work on HIV and health in the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNDP has an important role in supporting health outcomes by supporting countries to address the social, cultural and economic determinants of HIV and health, in partnership with UN entities and other organizations. This is done through UNDP’s core work in reducing inequalities and social exclusion that drive HIV and poor health, promoting effective and inclusive governance for health, and building resilient and sustainable systems for health. UNDP also contributes through its coordinating and convening role in bringing together multiple partners and resources at national and local levels. UNDP works with partners to address the interactions between governance, human rights and health responses. Sometimes this is done through focused or specialized programmes, such as promoting attention to the role of legal environments (law and access to justice) in facilitating stronger HIV responses, including the use of flexibilities in intellectual property and human rights law to lower the cost of drugs and diagnostics and to increase access to HIV-related treatment. UNDP also works to empower and include people living with HIV and marginalized populations who are disproportionately affected by HIV - also known as key populations - such as sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people. Beyond these focused efforts, UNDP plays a key role in ensuring attention to HIV and health within broader governance and rights initiatives, strengthening of national human rights institutions and increasing access to justice for marginalized populations. The Society Against Sexual Orientation Discrimination (SASOD) is a non-governmental human rights organization and movement leading change to end discrimination based on sexuality and gender. SASOD has placed much focus and work in their effort to the repeal of the country’s discriminatory laws which criminalize LGBT persons and continues to work assiduously towards the enactment of laws that protect and respect human rights. The international Labour Organization (ILO) promotes decent work for all women and men, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity and recognises that this provides the bedrock for a more positive working environment. Robust laws, policies and workplace standards, as well as enhanced awareness of the need for change, are essential to move forward in this area. Homophobic and transphobic discrimination, discriminatory laws, and the lack of formal mechanisms for the protection of LGBT Guyanese profoundly impact their access to employment. The University of the West Indies’ Faculty of Law 2012 report, “Collateral Damage: The Social Impact of Laws Affecting LGBT Persons in Guyana,” concluded that LGBT Guyanese are “completely closeted at work for fear of social sanction, injury to their careers, or termination of employment”. With the absence of specific prohibition of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997, LGBT persons in Guyana are left unprotected and made susceptible to discrimination whether in the workplace, at a health facility or otherwise in public, where he or she has a right to dwell, with essentially no consequences under the law. In this regard, SASOD is strongly committed to pursue the amendment to the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997 to include “sexual orientation and gender identity” as grounds for protection against discrimination. Towards this end, UNDP aims to recruit a Part Time Coordinator to assist SASOD to draft an amendment bill and accompanying white paper which proposes the inclusion of sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) as protected categories in the Prevention of Discrimination Act 1997. |