Tanzania Backs Out of Plan to Publish 'List of Gays'
Daily Nation - Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 2/28/2017
Tanzania on Monday backed out of its plan to publish a list of names of gay people accused of selling sex online, saying this would ‘destroy evidence’. Deputy health minister Hamisi Kigwangalla had called a press conference to publicise the list, after announcing the plan earlier this month. ‘We cancelled the press conference. We are not going to announce the names of (LGBTs) who publicly market themselves for technical reasons,’ he wrote on Twitter. ‘For strategic reasons and to avoid destroying evidence we will deal with this issue differently and will keep you informed at every step.’
UNFPA Survey: 90% of Women Have Experienced Sexual Harassment on Public Transport in Sri Lanka
Sunday Times, Sri Lanka, 2/27/2017
Findings of a nationwide study commissioned by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) revealed that 90% of women and girls in Sri Lanka have been subjected to sexual harassment on public buses and trains. The findings also revealed that only 4% sought help from the Police. UNFPA said in a statement it had commissioned the national study in 2015, with a sample of 2,500 women and girls between the ages of 15-35 years, from all administrative districts of the nine provinces in Sri Lanka. Data was collected through stakeholder consultations, key informant interviews, and questionnaire surveys. Addressing the issue as a national priority, UNFPA in partnership with the Ministry of Women’s and Child Affairs, Ministry of Transport & Civil Aviation, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Sri Lanka Police, launched a public advocacy campaign titled ‘Does she travel safe?’
Bangladesh Weakens Longstanding Law against Underage Marriage
The New York Times - Dhaka, Bangladesh, 2/27/2017
Bangladesh’s Parliament softened its landmark law against underage marriage, a move that human rights activists say could roll back the country’s decades-long campaign to curtail teenage pregnancy and maternal and infant mortality. A new provision in the Child Marriage Restraint Act, which dates to 1929, allows girls under the age of 18 to marry in some circumstances. The change was met with praise from Islamist groups, which said it fell more in line with traditional religious practices. Bangladesh has one of the world’s highest rates of child marriage, but it has been gradually dropping under steady pressure from the government.
Backpedaling on Same Sex Marriage? What Did the President Actually Say?
The China Post, Taiwan, 2/26/2017
A gay rights activist accused President Tsai Ing-wen of backpedaling on her past support for legalising gay marriage, saying she had told him recently, ‘In this life, you may probably not live to see same-sex marriage.’ Vincent Huang, who participated in a discussion with Tsai at the Presidential Office on Feb. 18, made the claim on Facebook. The Presidential Office rushed to deny his account of the event, releasing partial transcripts of last week's dialogue. According to Huang, he told the President that gay couples feared their elderly parents would not see the day when their gay and lesbian children could get married. Huang said Tsai had responded, ‘In this life, you may probably not live to see same-sex marriage.’
Preventive Measures in HIV/AIDS
Financial Tribune, Iran, 2/26/2017
The State Welfare Organisation has so far launched 32 HIV and AIDS clubs providing support for over 4,000 individuals living with HIV. The clubs are part of the SWO drive to provide social and emotional support to patients with HIV and increase their participation in programs to prevent the AIDS epidemic. The number of clubs has increased from 23 in 2015 to 32 at present. Four more clubs are to open soon, said Majid Rezazadeh, director of HIV and AIDS prevention office at the SWO. ‘The schemes with regard to HIV prevention are centred on social behaviour and changing lifestyles so as to reduce social harm as well as sexually transmitted diseases,’ he said, IRNA reported.
Indian Censors Block Release of 'Lady-Oriented' Film
The Express Tribune, India, 2/25/2017
India’s censor board has refused to certify a film it describes as ‘lady-oriented’, sparking a furious response from the director, in the latest case to highlight fears over creative freedom in the country. In a letter, the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) told the makers of Lipstick Under My Burkha that it would not clear the Indian film for general release. ‘The story is lady oriented, their fantasy above life. There are continuous sexual scenes, abusive words, audio pornography and a bit sensitive touch about one particular section of society, hence film refused under guidelines,’ the letter read. It was sent last month and came to light this week after Bollywood actor Farhan Akhtar tweeted about it.
Indonesia Recalls "Vulgar" Sex Education Book for Kids
New Straits Times - Jakarta, Indonesia, 2/24/2017
Indonesia has ordered a publisher to withdraw a sex-education book for children, which addresses the subject of masturbation, for being too vulgar. The publisher of ‘I Dare to Sleep Alone and I Learn to Control Myself’ apologised for causing any offence but said the book aimed to help parents teach children how to protect themselves from sexual harassment. The Education Ministry said the book, written by Fita Chakra, contained pornographic content and cited a depiction of a cartoon boy's thoughts as he hugs a bolster pillow when he can't sleep. It also includes a part where the boy finds a new game of putting his hand inside his trousers.
Rape, Beatings, Harassment, Extortion: New Report Exposes Shocking Abuse of Queer Persons in India
The Huffington Post, India, 2/24/2017
Despite the Indian government's claim in the Supreme Court that Section 377 of the IPC remains on the statute books primarily to tackle crimes that are not covered by other laws, such as child sexual abuse and rape, new evidence in a report by the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) shows that the section, which criminalises homosexuality, is regularly used to harass and intimidate consenting gay couples. According to the report, the statute casts a shadow over the lives of queer people, preventing them from accessing justice.
In Wake of Sexual Assault on Actress, Film Associations Must Protect Rights of Workers: CPI
The New Indian Express - Kerala, India, 2/23/2017
The kidnap and sexual assault of a Malayalam actress is not the handiwork of ‘two or three drivers’, and the police should bring to light the conspiracy behind the crime, said Kanam Rajendran, State Secretary of Communist Party of India (CPI), a constituent of the LDF government. ‘These associations should end their supremacy and ensure there is freedom for all to work in the industry,’ he said. His statement comes against the backdrop of reports that the attack on the actress could be because of professional rivalry, apart from numerous cases of associations boycotting actors and technicians.
Afghanistan to Set Penalties for Abuse of Boy Sex Slaves
Hindustan Times - Kabul, Afghanistan, 2/22/2017
Afghanistan is set to lay out stringent penalties for ‘bacha bazi’ - sexual slavery and abuse of boys - for the first time, officials say, in a landmark move against the deeply entrenched practice. AFP revealed in 2016 how the Taliban were exploiting rampant bacha bazi in police ranks to mount deadly insider attacks, exposing a hidden epidemic of kidnapping of young boys for institutionalised sexual slavery. The revelations intensified longstanding demands by campaigners for Kabul to enact an incisive legal provision to curb bacha bazi - literally ‘boy play’ - which has seen a striking resurgence in post-Taliban Afghanistan. A raft of punishments will now be listed in Afghanistan’s revised penal code - from up to seven years in jail for sexual assault to capital punishment for ‘aggravated cases’ such as violating more than one boy.
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