A/HRC/29/23 have expressed concerns in this context about developments in Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, the Republic of Moldova, the Russian Federation, Uganda and Ukraine.79 49. In some cases, these laws have been accompanied by bans on non-governmental organizations receiving funding from abroad, allegedly in order to curb the influence of “foreign agents”.80 Such measures put defenders at risk of arrest, violence and discrimination, and can threaten rights relating to, inter alia, health, education, cultural expression and information. 81 B. Discriminatory practices82 1. Health care 50. Laws criminalizing homosexuality and the discriminatory policies, practices and attitudes of health-care institutions and personnel adversely affect the quality of health services,83 deter individuals from seeking services, 84 and may lead to the denial of care or to an absence of services that respond to the specific health needs of LGBT and intersex persons.85 51. The negative health impact of laws criminalizing homosexuality has been widely acknowledged, including by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), the treaty bodies and the special procedures of the Human Rights Council.86 The Global Commission on HIV and the Law found, for instance, that in Caribbean countries with laws that criminalize homosexuality, almost one in four men who have sex with men is HIV positive; the equivalent figure in Caribbean countries with no such laws is one in 15.87 52. There is mounting concern about so-called “conversion therapies” intended to “cure” homosexual attraction. Such therapies have been found to be unethical, unscientific and ineffective and, in some instances, tantamount to torture – leading to successful legal challenges and bans in several countries.88 In Ecuador, concerns have been raised about 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 14 See A/HRC/23/51, UKR 3/2012; A/HRC/25/74, MDA 4/2013; RUS 3/2013, RUS 4/2013; A/HRC/26/21, NGA 1/2014, UGA 1/2014, UGA 1/2013; A/HRC/27/72, KGZ/1/2014. A/HRC/25/74, RUS 3/2013. See A/66/203, paras. 17-18, A/69/307, paras. 84-89. See also A/HRC/19/41, paras. 48-73. See CCPR/C/TUR/CO/1, para. 10, CEDAW/C/NOR/CO/8, paras. 33-34. See CCPR/C/JAM/CO/3, paras. 8- 9, A/HRC/14/20, paras. 20-23. See also UN Free & Equal factsheet, “Criminalization” (available at www.unfe.org/en/fact-sheets). See A/64/272, para. 46. See “Secretary-General, in observance message, equates fight against homophobia with struggle to eliminate racism, promote gender equality”, press release, 16 May 2013; E/C.12/JAM/CO/3-4, para. 28; and Risks, Rights and Health, Global Commission on HIV and the Law, UNDP, 2012, in particular pp. 44-54. Ibid., p. 45. See A/HRC/22/53, para. 88; Sharon Bernstein, “Supreme Court won't intervene in California ban on gay-conversion therapy”, Reuters, 1 July 2014; and Ed Adamczyk, “Beijing court rules gayconversion clinic treatments illegal”, UPI, 19 December 2014.