OFFICE OF THE HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND UNAIDS PUBLISH GUIDELINES ON HIV/AIDS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

HR/98/8
18 February 1998

The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to spread throughout the world at an alarming rate, bringing in its wake widespread abuse of human rights and fundamental freedoms. Many people with HIV/AIDS suffer discrimination, intolerance and prejudice. It is against this background that the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and UNAIDS (joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS) have jointly published International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights. The guidelines offer concrete measures to protect human rights and health where HIV/AIDS is concerned and offer assistance, not just for people living with HIV, but for society in general.

Creating an environment in which there is respect for the human rights of people infected with the virus or affected by it in other ways (AIDS orphans, for example) will help them live a life of dignity without discrimination. Such an environment can also reduce the numbers of people vulnerable to infection.

Strengthening the human rights of women, children and marginalized groups is an important first step. Because the human rights of such vulnerable groups have already been eroded, they are disproportionately affected and have more limited access to resources to prevent or treat infection. The likelihood of further exclusion and exposure to human rights violations increases. In a climate of discrimination, people are less likely to present themselves for voluntary HIV testing and are driven underground. They are thus denied access to treatment, care and support, hindering efforts by public health authorities to control the epidemic.

The measures proposed in the guidelines follow three broad approaches:

1. Increasing awareness of the human rights principles underlying a positive and sustainable response to HIV/AIDS;

2. Providing action-oriented measures to be employed by Governments in the areas of law, administrative policy and practice that will protect human rights and achieve HIV-related public health goals;

3. Increasing private sector and community participation in the response to HIV/AIDS, including building capacity and responsibility of civil society to respond ethically and effectively.

The twelve guidelines are the product of 15 years of practical experience in responding to HIV/AIDS. UNAIDS has joined with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to publish the guidelines during the fiftieth anniversary year of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The publication calls on governments and communities to confront the issues with a sense of urgency. It emphasizes that the fulfilment of the State's obligations concerning rights to non-discrimination, health, information, education, employment, social welfare and public participation is crucial not only to ensure humane care and support for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, it is also vital in the fight to reduce people's vulnerability to infection. The guidelines highlight that in the context of HIV/AIDS as in other areas, human rights and public health are inextricably linked.

The guidelines are also available in full in the booklet and on the UNAIDS website: www.unaids.org. Detailed information on the full range of human rights issues can be found at www.unhchr.ch.