Dr. Luiz Loures, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations carries out official mission in Uruguay

Montevideo/Panama City, July 12, 2016 - Dr. Luiz Loures, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS and Assistant Secretary-General of the United Nations starts a three-day mission today in Montevideo, Uruguay. Dr Luiz Loures will participate in the Global LGBTI Human Rights Conference, hosted by Uruguay and the Netherlands, which will be attended by representatives of governments, multilateral organizations and civil society. Dr. Loures’ agenda also includes meetings with key actors in HIV response in Uruguay, such as government authorities, international cooperation and civil society networks.

The main objectives of the Global LGBTI Human Rights Conference, which will take place in Montevideo from 13 to 15 of July, are: to share information, best practices and lessons learned in the promotion and protection of equal rights for LGBTI people; and to ensure better coordination of financial and political support of governments and multilateral organizations aimed at advancing human rights and inclusive development for LGBTI people. “This conference represents a unique opportunity to promote LGBTI rights. We will not be able to end AIDS without the activism of LGBTI people”, Dr. Loures states. “Now more than ever, a few weeks after the terrible attack against the LGBTI community in Orlando, we need to strengthen inclusion and zero discrimination”, the Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS continues.

In Latin America and the Caribbean, LGBTI people are often excluded from legal protection systems, rejected by their families and communities, and lack equal treatment at school, in the workplace, at health clinics and on the streets. These multiple forms of discrimination exacerbate their social exclusion, which affects their mental health and increases their vulnerability to sexual violence, gender-based violence, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, creating barriers for access to health.

During Dr. Loures’ visit to Uruguay and his meetings with national partners of the HIV response, he will follow up on the implementation of the 2016 Political Declaration that was recently adopted by UN Member States at the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on Ending AIDS. The progressive, actionable Political Declaration includes a set of specific, time-bound targets and actions that must be achieved by 2020 if the world is to Fast-Track to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030 within the framework of the Sustainable Development Goals.

Dr. Loures is accompanied by Dr. César A. Núñez, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean, and Dr. Alberto Stella, UNAIDS Director for Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay.

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The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) leads and inspires the world to achieve its shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS-related deaths. UNAIDS unites the efforts of 11 UN organizations—UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, UNDP, UNFPA, UNODC, UN Women, ILO, UNESCO, WHO and the World Bank—and works closely with global and national partners towards ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals. Learn more at unaids.org.br and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.