Statement of the Mesoamerican Coalition for the Reproductive Rights of Women with HIV

Mesoamerican Coalition for the Reproductive Rights of Women with HIV Political statement about reproductive rights violations experienced by women living with HIV in Mesoamerica The undersigned local and regional organizations are profoundly worried about systematic violations of the reproductive rights of women living with HIV in Mesoamerica. Key among these violations are: denial of gynecological care and obstetric services; failure to diagnose and treat sexually transmitted infections, including the human papillomavirus which causes cervical cancer; failure to provide information about sexuality, contraception and safe pregnancy; discrimination from health care providers when seeking reproductive health services; forced sterilization; and omissions of information and health services needed to prevent vertical HIV transmission.

As part of a coordinated strategy to promote the reproductive rights of women living with HIV in the region, more than 50 women leaders living with HIV, including transwomen and sexworkers, from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua documented reproductive rights violations experienced by 347 women living with HIV. Documentation indicates that the right of women living with HIV to access information about sexuality and reproduction is routinely violated. The information provided in health services about HIV testing, treatment options, safer sex, and choosing to have children is inadequate. The regional study also documents that violations of confidentiality of HIV status in healthcare settings are common and cause irreparable damage in women’s lives.

•Only 22% of women living with HIV reported receiving female condoms •Only 34% of women living with HIV reported access to testing for the human papillomavirus •41% reported discrimination from healthcare providers when seeking reproductive health services •26% reported coercive pressure to undergo sterilization •31% reported that the confidentiality of their HIV diagnosis had been violated in health services HIV-related discrimination results in denial of medical and surgical procedures, threats and intimidation to coerce women living with HIV to be sterilized, and instances of forced sterilization.

In the case of sex workers, the principal barriers to exercising rights is the lack of recognition of labor rights and lack of access to comprehensive reproductive health services because of the stigmatizing conception of sex workers as vectors of HIV. The situation documented in these countries violates the right of all women to enjoy the highest attainable standard of reproductive health and demonstrates that States are not complying with their obligations to guarantee reproductive health rights, as defined in international jurisprudence, for women living with HIV. We call upon our governments to take concrete structural actions within health systems in order to guarantee respect for the human rights of women living with HIV, including creating conditions for women to effectively exercise sexual and reproductive rights.

El Salvador: CEMUJER, ICW El Salvador, Asociación Nacional de Personas Positivas Vida Nueva, Orquídeas del Mar, Asociación COMCAVIS Trans Comunicando y capacitando a Mujeres Trans con VIH SIDA, and FUNDASIDA. Honduras: Fundación Llaves, Centro de Derechos de Mujeres, Asociación Multicultural de Mujeres Positivas, and Red de Mujeres Hondureñas Positivas.

México: Balance Promoción para el Desarrollo y Juventud, Fundar Centro de Analisis e Investigación, ICW México, Mexicanas en Acción Positiva por la Vida, Compartiendo Retos, Red Mexicana de Mujeres Trans, Diversidad y Vidha trans, Centro Ser, La Condomóvila, Mujer Libertad, Unidad de Atención Sicológica, Sexológica y Educativa para el Crecimiento Personal, Centro de Apoyo a las Identidades Trans and Asociación Sinaloense de Universitarias.

Nicaragua: Red Nicaragüense de Activistas Arcoiris, ICW Nicaragua and Las Golondrinas.