Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Global Disability Summit to be held in July will consider discrimination by association of people living with HIV infection, such as members of the LGBT community and sex workers, as part of its deliberations on stigma and discrimination.

The systematic inclusion of people with disabilities in development and humanitarian action is a top priority for the Department for International Development. On 24 July, the UK will co-host the Global Disability Summit to increase action and investment, lock-in progress and share best practice. The summit aims to drive forward a step change in global efforts to eliminate stigma and discrimination against all persons with disabilities. This includes realising the rights of persons with disabilities that are often among the most excluded in society and those that experience “double discrimination”, including those living with HIV and members of the LGBT community. In line with the principles of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, the active participation of all people with disabilities will be at the very heart of the summit.

The UK’s global HIV response prioritises those left behind by the huge progress made in recent years. For example, we are proud to be a founding supporter of the Robert Carr Civil Society Networks Fund, which supports the grassroots response for inadequately served groups including men who have sex with men and sex-workers.