- About UNAIDS
- Our work
- Targets and commitments
- 2011 Political Declaration: Targets and elimination commitments
- Reducing sexual transmission
- Preventing HIV among drug users
- Eliminating new HIV infections among children
- 15 million accessing treatment
- Avoiding TB deaths
- Closing the resource gap
- Eliminating gender inequalities
- Eliminating stigma and discrimination
- Eliminating travel restrictions
- Strengthening HIV integration
- 2011 Political Declaration: Targets and elimination commitments
More feature stories on punitive laws
- Justice Edwin Cameron adds a new dimension to China - Africa relations
- The South African Supreme Court Judge Edwin Cameron visited China from 27th to 31st October at the invitation of China’s Ministry of Health and UNAIDS. Through his visit, he set out to support the response to AIDS in China with a special focus on legal issues, discrimination and rights of people living with HIV.
- Faces against HIV stigma and discrimination
- HIV has often been associated with behaviours that may be considered socially or morally unacceptable by many people such as sex work, sex outside marriage or with multiple partners, sex between men and injecting drugs. This single fact, fueled by high levels of ignorance, denial, fear and intolerance, has widely stigmatized HIV infection.
- People Living with HIV Stigma Index
- HIV-related stigma and accompanying discrimination are widely recognized as significant barriers to HIV prevention, treatment and care services reaching those who need them. To address this, a tool has been developed for measuring the magnitude of stigma experienced by people living with HIV.
- When red ribbon meets Olympics
- A range of initiatives by UNAIDS in China in partnership with the Chinese Government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in the run-up to the 2008 Games illustrate how sport can break down barriers, fight discrimination and make a difference in the AIDS response.
- Third meeting of the International Task Team on HIV-related Travel Restrictions
- The International Task Team on HIV-related Travel Restrictions concluded its third meeting with draft recommendations towards the elimination of HIV-specific restrictions on entry, stay and residence. In the coming months, these will be finalized and presented to the boards of the Global Fund and UNAIDS this November and December.
- Strong HIV and Human Rights Activist appointed as new UN Special Rapporteur
- Anand Grover, head of the HIV/AIDS Unit of Lawyer’s Collective (India) and a member of the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human RightsAnand Grover, head of the HIV/AIDS Unit of Lawyer’s Collective (India) and a member of the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights, has been appointed Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health by the UN Human Rights Council.
- Eurovision stars light candles to dispel discrimination
- The opening day of this year’s Eurovision song contest coincided with the 25th International AIDS Candlelight Memorial.
- International Day against Homophobia
- On May 17th, 1990, the General Assembly of the World Health Organization approved the 10th Edition of the International Classification of Diseases, that established that sexual orientation (heterosexual, bisexual or homosexual), on its own, “will not be considered as a disorder”.
- Leadership and AIDS: Gregg Gonsalves
- Gregg has been working on behalf of people living with HIV since 1990 when he joined ACT UP (AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in the United States. In the early nineties, very little was understood about how the virus worked or how the immune system was damaged by it and there were no effective treatments to counter the progress of the disease. Most discussion about AIDS was taking place in the domain of the scientific community.
- Human rights and gender in HIV-related legal frameworks
- In adopting the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS in 2001 at the UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, Governments have fully recognized the importance of protecting human rights and gender equality through appropriate legal frameworks in national responses to HIV.
- HIV-related travel restrictions
- Since the beginning of the HIV epidemic, governments and the private sector have implemented travel restrictions with regard to HIV positive people wishing to enter or remain in a country for a short stay (e.g. business, personal visits, tourism) or for longer periods (e.g. asylum, employment, immigration, refugee resettlement, or study).
- Human rights and universal access
- Human rights and its links to reaching the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support was central to the discussions of the eighth meeting of the UNAIDS Reference Group on HIV and Human Rights, an independent advisory body to UNAIDS, took place on 3-5 December 2007 in Geneva.
- Concern over Criminalization of HIV Transmission
- Several countries have recently introduced laws to criminalise HIV transmission, or exposing another person to the virus. A number of jurisdictions have used general laws against serious bodily harm in cases where someone is accused of knowingly transmitting HIV or willingly exposing others to HIV transmission.
- Princess Stephanie of Monaco visits Madagascar
- UNAIDS Special Representative HSH Princess Stephanie of Monaco visited Madagascar to raise awareness around HIV-related stigma and discrimination. The visit was the first in her role as UNAIDS Special Representative and she met with a number of different groups and organisations working on AIDS issues in the country.
- Planting trees for AIDS in China
- Two issues of global importance, AIDS and the environment, were highlighted during a symbolic tree planting event led by organisations of people living with HIV in China.
- International Day Against Homophobia
- Homophobia is one of the key drivers behind HIV epidemics and poses a critical challenge to moving forward with an effective AIDS response.
- Not any different from you!
- These testimonials are part of a recently launched national campaign to promote solidarity with people living with HIV in Moldova.
- Ireland to Stamp out Stigma
- Ireland is pledging to “Stamp out” AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in Ireland as part of a national campaign launched by Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern on 1 December 2006.
- AIDS and Human Rights activist awarded
- AIDS and human rights are inextricably linked as demonstrated by Beatrice Were, a leading advocate for the rights of people living with HIV in Uganda who recently received the Human Rights Watch Defender Award in recognition of her work.
- Amazonians unite to fight stigma in Brazil
- Stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV is commonplace in the Amazon region of Brazil. In an effort to change attitudes and increase awareness about AIDS, people living with HIV in the heart of the Amazonian territory have come together to try to encourage people to learn about the epidemic and break down AIDS-related stigma.