COPRECOS LAC, REDLACTRANS and RedTraSex signed historic Memorandum of Understanding to promote HIV prevention and human rights

Panama City, April 26, 2013 – On the 25th of April, during the meeting of the Executive Committee to review the second phase of COPRECOS LAC Project Proposal "AVANZADA", the Committee for HIV / AIDS Prevention and Control of the Armed Forces and the National Police in Latin America and the Caribbean (COPRECOS LAC), the Network of Women Sex Workers in Latin America and the Hispanic Caribbean (RedTraSex) and the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Transgender People (REDLACTRANS) signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding to promote HIV prevention, respect for human rights and to reduce stigma and discrimination towards key populations.

"Today we formalize this important partnership to strengthen the impact of the HIV response in Latin America. However this is just the beginning that creates a solid platform to strengthen joint efforts with other regional networks to prevent HIV and eliminate gender based violence, stigma and discrimination" said the Colonel Nohora Rodriguez Guerrero, President of COPRECOS LAC.

This event sets a precedent in the region and the world. "It is an example of collaboration and understanding to scale up HIV response promoting human rights, gender equality and reducing stigma and discrimination towards key populations, particularly sex workers, transgender people, men who have sex with men, among others" expressed Dr. César A. Núñez, UNAIDS Regional Director for Latin America.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed by COPRECOS LAC, REDLACTRANS and RedTraSex mentions, among other things, that the elaboration of the second phase of the project proposal "AVANZADA" will be a joint effort among the three organizations, with a human right approach and aimed at reducing stigma and discrimination towards key populations. Most notably the three organizations agreed to work together to implement the project activities to achieve the targets.

"Under this proposal it is expected that sex workers and transgender women train people in the uniformed services on gender identity, gender equality, sex work and human rights, in order to strengthen the enforcement of the laws which guarantee and protect our human rights" said Elena Reynaga, Executive Secretary of RedTraSex.

"This agreement opens doors to new advocacy efforts with uniformed services making our voices heard" said Marcela Romero , Regional Coordinator of REDLACTRANS.