African regional meeting on HIV/AIDS and human rights

A meeting of countries in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) leads to the establishment of a regional alliance of organizations working on HIV/AIDS and human rights.     

Honduras: government intimidates people with HIV/AIDS asserting right to medicines

In August 2002, the Honduran Ministry of Health violated the human rights of four Hondurans living with HIV/AIDS by releasing their names to a national newspaper.     

Report on complementary/alternative health care and HIV/AIDS

In 2001, the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network published a lengthy report on Complementary/Alternative Health Care and HIV/AIDS: Legal, Ethical & Policy Issues in Regulation. The document is the first in a series of papers to be produced by the Legal Network on priority legal and ethical issues related to HIV/AIDS care, treatment, and support. The article below summarizes the contents of the report.     

Pharmaceutical companies abandon case against South Africa: victory for people with HIV/AIDS

On 19 April 2001, 39 pharmaceutical companies bowed to worldwide condemnation and pressure, and completely abandoned their court action against the South African government over legislation that could be used to make essential drugs affordable for millions of South Africans.     

Namibia: policy adopted on HIV/AIDS and the education sector

The Namibian National Policy on HIV/AIDS for the Education Sector, adopted in 2003, provides a framework for prevention, care, and support for both learners and employees in the education sector and for the mitigation of the impact of HIV/AIDS on learners and employees, as well as on the education sector itself.     

Update to international guidelines on HIV/AIDS and human rights

On 10 September 2002, the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) released a revised international guideline on "Access to prevention, treatment, care and support." The update to Guideline 6 of HIV/AIDS and Human Rights: International Guidelines reflects significant therapeutic, political, and legal developments in this area since the 12 guidelines were originally published in 1998. The new Guideline 6 significantly expands the guidance given to governments on what international human rights norms require of them in relation to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, care and support.     

Parliamentarians take the initiative on HIV/AIDS

In 1999 UNAIDS and the Inter-Parliamentary Union jointly published the Handbook for Legislators on HIV/AIDS, Law and Human Rights. This section describes initiatives taken by parliamentarians to promote legal and policy responses to the HIV/AIDS epidemic which respect human rights.