The CHLP Resource Bank: Research at your fingertips

International

HIV is a truly global issue. As of the end of 2007, approximately 33.2 million people are living with HIV and, each year 2.5 million more people become infected with HIV. In every corner of the world, those living with HIV face the obstacles of obtaining health care, overcoming stigma, ensuring confidentiality, and achieving equal rights. Because HIV knows no borders, the response to these obstacles must also be global in its scope, entailing international institutions, national governments, regional bodies, and networks of community advocates. Here, you will find resources describing, analyzing, and implementing an international human rights based approach to HIV issues on multinational, national, and local levels. Resources include international conventions and declarations, United Nations committee reports and general comments, advocacy documents, and guidance on translating human rights norms into real and practical gains.

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HIGHLIGHTED RESOURCE
HIV and the Law: Risk, Rights & Health
UNDP, The Global Commission on HIV and the Law

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The final report of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law, representing 18 months of investigation, convenings,

comment solicitation and review of the scientific literature, addresses the role of the law around the globe in both protecting and punishing people living with HIV. Examining the overuse of the law, particularly in North America, to criminalize non-mainstream consensual adult behavior (e.g., sexwork, drug use, sexual intimacy of PLWH) and to limit immigration, the report catalogues the negative impacts of these legal practices on the goals of ending the AIDS epidemic. The report demonstrates how punitive laws are fueling the epidemic and rendering marginalized groups more vulnerable to HIV. The Commission makes recommendations for governments and international bodies in how to shape and reform law to ensure an effective, sustainable response to HIV that is consistent with human rights obligations and protects marginalized groups, including sex workers, MSM, transgender people, prisoners and migrants. Click here to download.

 

NEWS
CHLP Presents at AIDS 2008: The XVII International AIDS Conference

CHLP Executive Director Catherine Hanssens represented CHLP on four separate topics at the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City, August 3-8, 2008. The first of these, entitled "Challenges in Democratizing Access to HIV Legal Advocacy Resources," was part of a poster and panel discussion session entitled "Do You Know Your (Human) Rights?" CHLP's contribution addressed the strategic importance, and challenges, of creating an internationally-available, multi-lingual web-based resource center on HIV legal, human rights, and policy issues to support the work of community and legal advocates. More

External Links

UNAIDS
The joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS.


UNFPA
An international development agency that promotes the right of every woman, man and child to enjoy a life of health and equal opportunity.


UNICEF, Global Commitments on Children and HIV
A listing of international commitments relating to minors and HIV.

 

World Health Organization (WHO)
The directing and coordinating authority for health within the United Nations system.

 

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights
Publications, international agreements, and other information from the principal human rights body of the United Nations.

 

International Council of AIDS Service Organizations
Information to mobilize and support community organizations responding to HIV and AIDS.

HIGHLIGHTED RESOURCES

HIV-Related International Commitments

International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights
A revised and consolidated version of the original guidelines published in 1996, the purpose of the Guidelines is "to assist States in creating a positive, rights-based response to HIV that is effective in reducing the transmission and impact of HIV and AIDS and is consistent with human rights and fundamental freedoms." More

 

Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS
The United Nations General Assembly Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS represents "a global commitment to enhancing coordination and intensification of national, regional and international efforts to combat [HIV/AIDS] in a comprehensive manner." More

 

Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS
The Political Declaration, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in June 2006, renews the General Assembly's commitment to the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS issued in 2001. More

 

International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
The ICESCR outlines universal economic, social and cultural rights; particularly relevant to HIV/AIDS issues are: the right to the highest attainable standard of health (Article 12); the right to education (Article 13); the right to work (Article 7) More

 

International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights
The ICCPR outlines universal civil and political rights; particularly relevant for HIV/AIDS issues are: the right to marry and found a family (Article 23); the right to privacy (Article 17); freedom of expression and information (Article 19) More

 

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women ("CEDAW"), addresses women's rights within the political, social, economic, cultural, and family life. It calls for state parties to overcome barriers of discrimination More

 

Convention on the Rights of the Child
The Convention on the Rights of the Child ("CRC") is an international treaty that discusses many of the rights children, some of which are in addition to those also enjoyed by adults. Particularly relevant to HIV/AIDS issues More

 

Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination
The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination ("CERD") is an international treaty designed to protect individuals from discrimination based on race that is both intentional or the result of neutral policies. More

 

Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
This recent convention reaffirms and seeks to enforce established rights for those with disabilities. More