At the conference at the beginning of this month, UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon advised nations to "pass laws against homophobia" in order to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS.
Writing in the Washington Times, Ban Ki-Moon continued to urge societies "to speak out against discrimination and to guarantee the rights of people living with HIV."
Lisa Power, Corporate Head of Policy and Public Affairs at Terrence Higgins Trust (THT), was present at the conference.
She recently told PinkNews.co.uk:
"One of the main foci of the conference was the problem in places where there is stigma attached to gay and bisexual men and HIV positive people.
"Basically, until you stop persecuting these people, you can't prevent the spread of HIV.
"This is a problem particularly in some places in Latin America and Africa."
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-8777.html
