Hereks research indicates that support for quarantine was less about fear of HIV infection than it was about using the AIDS epidemic as an opportunity to express preexisting prejudices against lesbians and gay men. In this survey Herek conducted with his colleague John Capitanio, he found that most heterosexuals continued to associate AIDS primarily with homosexuality or bisexuality, and this association was correlated with higher levels of sexual prejudice. In addition, although everyone who contracted AIDS sexually was blamed to some extent for becoming infected, gay and bisexual men were blamed more than heterosexual men and women. Moreover, sexual prejudice was correlated with both misconceptions about HIV transmission and discomfort with HIV-infected people. See Hereks website dealing with homophobia and sexual prejudice at http://www.beyondhomophobia.com/blog/category/hivaids/ Herek believes that the link between AIDS attitudes and sexual prejudice impedes HIV prevention efforts and threatens civil rights.
More women than men reported that their health care provider usually presumed that they were heterosexual; this kind of attitude among health care providers is an important factor in the selection of a provider, particularly among women. Providers need to change their assumptions and approaches to interviews of potential patients, replacing heterosexist assumptions with integrated questions about sexual identity and ensuring that all aspects of the assessment and treatment process are safe for LGBT people.
Another study that shows that homophobia is a real health hazard and directly undermines important public health initiatives. One impact of homophobia is that many men who have sex with men, particularly young and minority men, dont disclose their sexual orientation in order to avoid social isolation, discrimination or abuse and violence. These young gay and bisexual men may be at higher risk for HIV infection as a consequence of low self-esteem, depression, and lack of peer support and related services available to those who are more open about their sexual orientation and identity. The data summarized in this report found, among other things, that non-disclosing MSM are less likely than their disclosing counterparts to access HIV testing services and related health care.
Seven health care professionals, advocates, and HIV-positive women respond to the question, "What do you consider to be the most important treatment or health issues facing women with HIV today?"
This document includes discussion of medical and psychological needs in women with HIV, challenges to establishing and maintaining appropriate treatment for HIV-positive women, and the need for more clinical studies focused on women. Advocates and health care professionals may find this information particularly useful.
This issue, published in English and Spanish, focuses on the rights of sex workers. It addresses: 1) police raids and “rescue” services that are often counterproductive to securing sex workers’ rights and ensuring no underage involvement in sex work; 2) how criminalization of sex work further stigmatizes the people it is meant to help and encourages violence against them; 3) participation of sex-workers in approaches to HIV treatment and prevention; 4) targeting trafficking and the entry into sex work as separate from targeting those living as sex workers; 5) a case study in how the United States PEPFAR “anti-prostitution pledge” has influenced the response to female sex workers’ HIV/AIDS needs in Nigeria; 6) sex worker organizing in Madagascar; unfriendly encounters with police among Manhattan sex workers; 7) an analysis of the rhetoric used in newspaper articles about sex work and how that influences attitudes and responses; and 8) peer-led HIV/AIDS responses in New South Wales, Australia.Additional issues of Research for Sex Work are available here.
Esta edición, publicado en ingles y español, enfoca en los derechos de trabajadores sexuales. Se dirigió 1) las ataques de incursiones por la policía y los grupos reformadores que son contraproducentes a las metas de asegurar los derechos de los trabajadores y de asegurar que los minores no entrañan en el trabajo sexual; 2) la manera en que la criminalización del trabajo sexual estigmatiza más los persones que se trata de ayudar y se promota la violencia contra ellos; 3) la participación de los trabajadores sexuales en las maneras de prevención y tratamiento de VIH; 4) distinguir el tráfico humano y la entrada al trabajo sexual como diferente que los trabajadores sexuales en sí mismas; 5) un estudio de caso en como el “Compromiso Anti-Prostitución” del E.E.U.U. ha influido la reacción a los necesidades de VIH/SIDA de las trabajadores sexuales en Nigeria; 6) organizando a los trabajores sexuales en Madagascar; encuentros no amistosos con la policía entre los trabajadores sexuales en Manhattan; 7) un análisis de la rétorica usada en los artículos de diarios que discuten el trabajo sexual y como este influye los actitudes y las repuestas; 8) las repuestas de un grupo de persons que viven con VIH/SIDA sobre este sujeto en New South Wales, Australia.Ediciónes adicionales de Investigación para el Trabajo Sexual son disponible aquí.
This 2006 Kaiser Family Foundation national survey found that more than one third of Americans still don't know that HIV isnt spread through kissing, and nearly one fourth don't know it cant be spread by sharing a drinking glass. More than one fifth of those surveyed said they would be uncomfortable having a co-worker who is HIV-infected, and 30% of parents surveyed expressed discomfort at the prospect of their child having an HIV-positive teacher.
This report summarizes discussion from two international electronic fora in which advocates, service providers, and HIV-positive women discussed services and policies related to the sexual and reproductive health of HIV-positive women. While the discussions spanned numerous countries and cultures, common threads appeared regardless of the geographical or cultural context. These threads provide lessons for all advocates seeking to promote the well-being of HIV-positive women. Issues such as confidentiality, domestic abuse, and reproductive rights were discussed, with the overarching issue being the high degree of stigma and discrimination experienced by HIV-positive women. Most strikingly, the discussions revealed widespread violations of the human rights of HIV-positive women as a result of the stigma and discrimination that they faced. These violations provided a backdrop to virtually all other topics discussed, creating major obstacles to the attainment of appropriate care and services by HIV-positive women. Another major theme was the lack of the most basic services responsive to the needs of HIV-positive women. Women described significant barriers at the domestic, community, regional and national level in realizing their rights and sexual and reproductive health. Among those mentioned included: inaccessibility of health centers; lack of respect for female patients' rights and judgmental attitudes among health care workers. The report is published by EngenderHealth, Harvard University, International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS, Ipas, and the United Nations Population Fund.
This guide aims to provide sexual and reproductive health program planners, managers, and providers with the information necessary to integrate voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) for HIV within their services. VCT is not merely the simple assent to testing, but rather "the process by which an individual undergoes confidential counselling to enable the individual to make an informed choice about learning his or her HIV status and to take appropriate action." Counseling for VCT consists of pre-test, post-test, and follow-up counseling. VCT is a human-rights based approach to HIV testing and treatment that enables patients to make informed decisions; it has been shown to be an effective strategy to facilitate behavior change for HIV prevention, as well as to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with HIV. The guide discusses the benefits of VCT and the barriers to implementation, and provides specific steps for each stage of implementing VCT, including the initial assessment of community need, planning, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation. The guide was produced by the United Nations Population Fund and the International Planned Parenthood Foundation.
Because many women do not access health services outside of pregnancy, maternal health services provide an excellent resource for HIV interventions tailored to the needs of pregnant and postpartum women. Such services also provide the opportunity to provide treatment, care, and support for HIV-positive mothers and their families. This guide focuses on the prevention of HIV infection among pregnant and post-partem women, with some discussion of related issues such as prevention of unintended pregnancies, mother-to-child transmission, and treatment for HIV-positive women. The guide can be used to strengthen the integration of HIV prevention into existing maternal health services and build the capacity of health workers to address the prevention needs of pregnant and postpartum women. The guide is particularly useful for planners, program developers, and trainers who are looking for opportunities and guidance to address the underlying gender inequities that present obstacles to successful HIV prevention interventions. For example, it provides guidance for helping women negotiate condom use, advocating with policymakers to change discriminatory legislation, and working with community leaders to raise awareness about common harmful practices. The guide was produced by the United Nations Population Fund and EngenderHealth.
HIV-positive women need access not only to appropriate health care and antiretroviral medications, but also to HIV treatment support. This paper discusses the unique barriers women face to Access to Care, Treatment, and Support (ACTS). Issues include the limitations of health centers as points of access, the lack of research on the effects of antiretrovirals that is specific to women, and the stigma and discrimination that keep women from obtaining the care and support they need. The paper argues that HIV-positive women are in the best position to understand these issues, and that they therefore should be involved in attempts to identify and address these barriers. The paper could be useful for HIV-positive women and their advocates, as well as health-care providers, who seek to understand and reduce gender inequalities and obstacles to HIV treatment. Produced by the International Community of Women Living With HIV/AIDS.
A report based on hearings and meetings with consumers, health care practitioners and social service providers about epidemiologic trends, and successful service models for addressing the needs of women at greatest risk of HIV in New York State. The report includes both findings of the Advisory Council's exploration of these issues, and recommendations for further action. As the Council states in its report, "Stigma, discrimination and the lack of coordinated systems of services for women remain the most significant barriers to effective HIV prevention and care for women across New York State."
This policy vision paper outlines the key priorities for women with HIV as identified by a group of young HIV positive women from across Eastern and Southern Africa who met in Durban in April 2004. The meeting was a dialogue organized by the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) in partnership with Youth Against AIDS Network (YAAN) and Gender AIDS Forum (GAF). Three primary priorities are identified: 1) Access to sexual and reproductive rights, 2) Access to screening, treatment, and prevention, and 3) meaningful participation and action of women with HIV in decision-making at the community, national, and regional levels. Within these three priorities, several specific issues and examples are identified, citing experiences of real women with HIV. The vision paper then provides a call to action, identifying specific steps that must be taken to remedy these shortcomings. The paper provides a useful starting-point for HIV-positive women and advocates seeking to identify, address, and mobilize around HIV issues specific to women, or anyone seeking to understand the unique obstacles facing HIV-positive women. While many of the issues are identified by women around the world, the themes of disenfranchisement, marginalization, and stigma are universal. Produced by the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS.
This fact sheet, created by the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR), describes the rising rates of HIV/AIDS among women in the United States and worldwide, and outlines the factors that have contributed to this rise. For example, it describes economic and social factors that increase women's vulnerability to HIV, such as disproportionate earning power and assets due to prescribed gender roles, and limited access to education, healthcare, and other resources that help women prevent and treat HIV/AIDS. Other factors that may lead to the disproportionate rise in HIV/AIDS among women include biological factors, gender-based violence, and sex differences in HIV treatment. The fact sheet advocates ten policies to address these factors, such as making women a priority in national HIV/AIDS strategies, increasing public knowledge and decreasing stigma and discrimination, reducing barriers faced by women in disadvantaged populations, and investing in the development of female-controlled prevention methods. The fact sheet is a useful resource for those seeking to illuminate the rising HIV/AIDS rates among women and the factors that contribute to it, and those advocating policy changes to address these factors. It is also useful to view it in conjunction with the amfAR survey on the stigma faced by HIV-positive women in the United States, which is posted separately in CHLP's Women's Advocacy Resource Collection.
This document summarizes the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and describes the status of CEDAW in the United States, and describes CEDAW’s impact on several issues, including HIV/AIDS. It provides excellent insight into how CEDAW has been received by the federal government, and state and local government declarations with regard to CEDAW. It also specifically discusses the issues unique to women and HIV/AIDS and how CEDAW addresses these problems.
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 against women in areas of legal rights, education, employment, health care, politics, and finance, and sets benchmarks. Particularly relevant to HIV/AIDS issues are: the definition of discrimination against women (Article 1); a mandate that states condemn discrimination in all its forms and ensure a legal framework that provides protection and embodies the principle of equality (Article 2); mandate of the end of discrimination in employment, including the right to work, employment opportunities, equal renumeration, free choice of profession and employment, social security, and protection of health, including maternal health (Article 11); requirement of steps to eliminate discrimination in health care, including family planning access (Article 12); a focus on the unique problems that rural woman face in access to health care and adequate living conditions (Article 14); requirment of steps to ensure equality in marriage and family relations, including the right to freely determine the number and spacing of children (Article 16). Article 18 requires parties to submit reports periodically to the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women on measures they have taken to give effect to the Convention.
As a treaty, CEDAW is binding on all parties that ratify it; those who sign but do not ratify it are obligated not to act contrary to the purpose of the convention under Article 18 of the Vienna Convention. CEDAW also has an optional protocol that allows individuals to submit complaints to the Committee arguing that their rights have been violated by the state party, and which allows the Committee to investigate grave or systematic violations of CEDAW. Although the United States has signed CEDAW, it has failed to ratify it, placing it among a small minority of countries including Iran, Sudan, and Somalia.
This is an analysis of how gender and sexuality influence HIV risks, transmission, and treatment, with an eye toward the obstacles that community service organizations must overcome in order to provide services successfully. It outlines factors in the following categories: socio-cultural factors, such as gender inequity in marriage, traditional gender roles, and homophobia; economic factors, such as poverty and lack of access to education; political factors, such as inaccurate or ineffective HIV prevention efforts and discriminatory laws; and program and services access factors, such as stigma and lack of access to treatment. Reviews of these factors are followed by recommendations for dealing with them. Throughout the document there are examples of how these issues have impeded HIV prevention and treatment, and examples of successful programs to contend with them. There are also references to useful international legal documents, and a list of key resources at the end of the document. This resource could prove useful for community service organizations seeking to address gender and sexuality issues that arise, as well as for anyone interested in the challenges these issues pose and successful ways to cope with them.
A meeting of African lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender organizations, with fifty-five participants from twenty-two groups representing sixteen countries across the continent, adopted a statement addressed to African member governments of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and of the United Nations. The statement authors seek support of a resolution before the Commission on sexual orientation, gender identity and human rights. Among multiple other abuses and forms of extreme bias and discrimination, LGBT Africans are denied access to health care and basic health information targeted to their lives and needs. They are blamed unjustly for the spread of HIV/AIDS yet are omitted from HIV prevention programs. The brave contributions of LGBT Africans to HIV prevention and treatment are ignored or actively harassed. The statement makes plain the connection between homophobia, and education programs which deny or condemn the existence of gay people, and the fueling of serious health and safety issues, including HIV.
In this letter, Human Rights Watch addresses the damage done by the current U.S. administrations insistent export of abstinence-until-marriage HIV programs in Uganda and the Uganda presidents view that, We don't have homosexuals in Uganda. The letter points out the unassailable evidence that these programs deny young people accurate information on HIV transmission and on sexual health and intrinsically discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation. With a legal ban in place against gay or lesbian relationships, the programs promote only permanent abstinence and are uniformly silent about safer sexual practices. Promoting abstinence until heterosexual marriage evidences a continuous will on the part of your government to drive lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people underground, or deny that they exist.
General Comment No. 3 was issued by the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child to promote the realization of the human rights of children in the context of HIV/AIDS as guaranteed under the Convention on the Rights of the Child (“CRC”). General Comment No. 3 identifies and elaborates on several rights of children and corresponding obligations of state parties with regard to HIV/AIDS issues such as discrimination, HIV-prevention information, health services, counseling and testing, mother-to-child transmission, and children affected and orphaned by HIV/AIDS. For example, General Comment No. 3 explains that under Articles 24, 13, and 17 of the CRC, children should have the right to access adequate information related to HIV/AIDS prevention and care through both formal and informal channels. It also states that “accessibility of voluntary, confidential HIV-counseling and testing services, with due attention to the evolving capacities of the child, is fundamental to the rights and health of children.”
General Comment No. 3 is especially useful for those seeking to understand how HIV/AIDS impacts children and families and what states’ obligations are to respond; it is best read alongside the CRC, available separately in the Resource Bank.
People with lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender orientations have long been stigmatized. Psychologist Gergory Herek, a professor at University of California, Davis, provides a synopsis of the above terms and references to related articles. His site also provide multiple resources on the connection between homophobia and HIV, and the impact of homophobia on HIV prevention.
Click on the link below to view.
Also, Hereks defintions of sexual prejudice, homophobia and heterosexism can be found at: http://psychology.ucdavis.edu/rainbow/html/prej_defn.html
Greg Herek, a USC-Davis professor nationally known for his work on HIV stigma and homophobia, states in this piece that Knowing ones HIV status is a good thing, provided the patient can effectively use the information. HIV-infected people need to be able to obtain ongoing treatment (including, but not limited to medications), and need to be able to take steps to protect their sexual partners from infection. Those who test negative need to understand that they can still get infected, e.g., if they engage in unprotected sex or share needles.
Responding to the 2006 CDC guidelines on routine HIV testing, Herek comments that by eliminating written consent and pre-test counseling, its all too easy to imagine that patients in busy emergency rooms will be tested without really agreeing to it and without being adequately prepared for the results.[The CDC guidelines] give insufficient attention to the importance of informed consent, pre-test counseling, and the reality that AIDS remains a stigmatized disease.
The Herek essay, posted here, can also be found on his web site, along with multiple other excellent resources, at:
http://www.beyondhomophobia.com/blog/2006/09/22/hiv-routine-testing/
In a case brought by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, two organizations (AOSI and Pathfinder International) that received funding under the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (the Leadership Act) sued the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), among others, seeking to enjoin their narrow reading of the Leadership Act’s provision requiring funded organizations to have a policy expressly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking. In May, 2006, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York had ruled that this requirement violated the organizational plaintiff’s First Amendment rights, restricting their privately-funded speech and forcing them to adopt the U.S. government’s views in order to be eligible for funding. The Court of Appeals remanded in view of proposed new HHS and UNAIDS guidelines to determine whether a preliminary injunction is appropriate. In February 2008, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint to add Global Health Council and InterAction (international development and public health groups) as plaintiffs; Global Health Council and InterAction then moved for a preliminary injunction on behalf of their members. HHS represented to the court that its July 2007 guidelines will go through a notice and comment process by April 2008, after which the court will assess the constitutionality of the revised guidelines. For copies of pleadings and other information, go to http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/aosi_v_usaid/
In a case brought by the Brennan Center for Justice at NYU School of Law, two organizations (AOSI and Pathfinder International) that received funding under the United States Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003 (the Leadership Act) sued the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), among others, seeking to enjoin their narrow reading of the Leadership Act’s provision requiring funded organizations to have a policy expressly opposing prostitution and sex trafficking. In May, 2006, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled that this requirement violated the organizational plaintiff’s First Amendment rights, restricting their privately-funded speech and forcing them to adopt the U.S. government’s views in order to be eligible for funding. The opinion may also be useful to those looking for a source in which to discuss HIV among marginalized groups. The opinion discusses the larger context in which the debate takes place, citing the high rates of HIV among some populations sex workers and the difficulties in reaching this marginalized community. The Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit remanded in view of proposed new HHS and UNAIDS guidelines to determine whether a preliminary injunction is appropriate. In February 2008, the plaintiffs filed an amended complaint to add Global Health Council and InterAction (international development and public health groups) as plaintiffs; Global Health Council and InterAction then moved for a preliminary injunction on behalf of their members. HHS represented to the court that its July 2007 guidelines will go through a notice and comment process by April 2008, after which the court will assess the constitutionality of the revised guidelines. For copies of pleadings and other information, go to http://www.brennancenter.org/content/resource/aosi_v_usaid/
Between March 22 and April 17, 2007, amFAR, the American Foundation for AIDS Research, conducted an online survey to assess stigma facing HIV-positive women in the United States. The survey revealed that HIV-positive women continue to face a high level of stigma in both their personal and their professional lives. The results showed pervasive negative views of HIV-positive women and a high level of discomfort interacting with them. The majority of respondents were uncomfortable with having an HIV-positive woman as a healthcare or childcare provider; most believed that HIV-positive women should not have children. Twenty percent of respondents would not be comfortable with having an HIV-positive woman as a close friend. Many of these responses were based on misinformation and lack of understanding about how HIV is transmitted. These results document how persistent HIV stigma creates obstacles for HIV-positive women on both the personal and professional levels, and how lack of information creates and sustains stigma.
This slide presentation, created by Dr. Susan J. Blumenthal of amfAR, summarizes the survey results. The complete survey results will be available in the Resource Bank after amFAR has fully mined the data collected.
The International Community of Women living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) provides guidelines for responsible involvement of HIV positive women in medical, socioeconomic and other research concerning women living with the virus. Included are a checklist to measure the effectiveness and inclusiveness of various aspects of research methods, as well as links to further resources.
This document will be particularly useful to researchers working with HIV positive populations, advocates working on issues related to participatory research, and HIV positive people considering participation in research studies.
This is a guide for young women, or those working with them, to create workshops that develop their leadership skills on the issues that concern them. It offers activities to motivate and enable young women to advocate for change and to mobilize others to do the same. The chapter on HIV/AIDS encourages discussion of the specific challenges facing women when it comes to HIV prevention, access to treatment and other services, and discrimination. It also provides guidance and activities to help young women become leaders in addressing these problems in their communities. Other chapters encourage them to take on leadership roles in addressing violence against women and promoting human rights, reproductive health, and economic justice. The manual has been field-tested by young women in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and Latin America, and its themes are equally applicable in the United States. Produced by World YWCA and supported by the United Nations Population Fund.
Capacitación de Mujeres Jóvenes para Liderar el Cambio es una guía que ha sido diseñado para dar apoyo al desarrollo de las habilidades y destrezas de las mujeres jóvenes, y los que trabajan con ellas, para capacitarlas para que asuman el liderazgo en los temas que les conciernen. Ofrece participar activa y plenamente en la motivación y potenciación de las mujeres jóvenes para afirmarlas en sus habilidades catalizadoras del cambio y así movilizar a otras para que hagan lo mismo. El capitulo sobre VIH/SIDA promueve la discusión de los desafíos que enfrentan a las mujeres jovenes en los ámbitos del aceso de tratamiento y otros servicios, y la discriminación. Es una herramienta flexible para aprender y explorar los derechos humanos y la violencia dirigida contra las mujeres así como temas de imagen corporal, autoestima y desarrollo de cualidades para el liderazgo. Mujeres jóvenes de África, Asia, el Caribe, Europa y América Latina ya han realizado en cinco talleres pruebas de campo con este manual, y sus temas son aplicables igualmente en los E.E.U.U. Producido por el YWCA Mundial, con el apoyo del Fondo de Población de las Naciones Unidas.
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.” It was unanimously adopted and signed by the 189 Member States at the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS in June 2001. This Special Session marked the first time that the General Assembly gave its exclusive attention to the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The Declaration notes contributing factors to the spread of the epidemic, including discrimination, denial, lack of confidentiality, gender inequality, poverty, and illiteracy. It also reaffirms a human rights approach to HIV/AIDS, and declares a commitment to take action in the following categories, with a timeline for achievements by 2003 and 2005:
Fostering leadership at all levels of society
Prevention efforts
Care, support, and treatment
Realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms
Reducing vulnerability by empowering vulnerable groups such as women
Assisting children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS
Alleviating social and economic impact of HIV/ADIS
Furthering research and development
Responding to the HIV/AIDS needs created by conflict
Creating new, additional, and sustained resources
Maintaining the momentum and monitoring progress
While the Declaration is a UN document, the primary responsibility for imeplemtning its commitments rests with the states, who are required to conduct national periodic reviews of their progress. However, as declaration, this document is non-binding on states that have signed it.
This document is useful to those seeking to understand the many social, economic, cultural, and legal issues underlying the HIV/AIDS epidemics, as well as a human rights based approach to HIV/AIDS. It is also useful to demonstrate international responses to HIV/AIDS.
Five years later, the United Nations General Assembly reaffirmed its Commitment to the Declaration of Commitment in the Political Declaration on HIV/AIDS, available separately in the Resource Bank.
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.” The Guidelines are a joint project of the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNAIDS. The consolidated guidelines include the revised Guideline 6, which reflects the human rights dimensions of access to HIV prevention, treatment, care, and support. The document consists of three parts: 1) twelve guidelines for state action; 2) recommendations for dissemination and implementation of the Guidelines; and 3) a description of the human rights principles underlying a positive response to HIV. The primary users are intended to be states, but it is also meant to inform intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, networks of people living with HIV, community-based organizations, networks on ethics, law, human rights, and HIV, and AIDS service organizations. It is also useful for any person looking for interested in a rights-based approach to HIV/AIDS and specific steps needed to implement such an approach.
