The Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has applauded Mexico’s decision to ban the practice of so-called “conversion therapy.”
The reaction occurs after the North American country has approved the decree to reform the Federal Penal Code and the General Health Law to prohibit Efforts to Correct Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (ECOSIG), the so-called ‘conversion therapies’. ‘.
“The stigma and discrimination perpetuated by so-called ‘conversion therapy’ have damaged public health. Mexico’s decision to end this harmful practice will help ensure public health. All countries should follow Mexico’s example,” declared Luisa Cabal, UNAIDS regional director for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Health and human rights experts have condemned so-called “conversion therapy” for causing serious psychological disorders.
In 2012, the Pan American Health Organization (OPS) pointed out that These therapies had no medical justification and represented a serious threat to health and human rights.
In 2015, the UN agencies’ joint statement condemned “abuse in medical settings, including unethical and harmful so-called ‘therapies’ to change sexual orientation.”
In 2016, the World Psychiatric Association concluded that “there is no strong scientific evidence that innate sexual orientation can be changed.” In 2020, the Independent Forensic Expert Group (IFEG) stated that offering this type of therapy is a form of deception, false advertising and fraud.
Global ban
In 2020, the UN Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity’s report on conversion therapy called for “a global ban on ‘conversion therapy’ practices,” as false and harmful, and deemed it necessary to end it. everywhere.
UNAIDS experience has shown that Stigma and shame keep people away from essential health services and support systemsincluding HIV prevention, testing, treatment and care.
Protecting the human rights of all people, UNAIDS research shows, is essential to protect public health, enabling inclusive and equitable access to health services without discrimination.
“The evidence is clear,” Cabal said. “Stigmatizing practices harm public health. Ensuring inclusion, acceptance and respect for the human rights of all people is vital to protect the health of each person. Stigma kills, and solidarity saves lives“.
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