Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2009. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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AIDSLex - October 14, 2009
Advancing the rights of people living with and vulnerable to HIV
Human rights violations continue to hinder the response to HIV/AIDS, to place people at risk of HIV and to be addressed in AIDS programs and policy. Subordination of women constrains their ability to demand safer sex and their equal access to health and education services. Men who have sex with men and sex workers are harassed and abused with impunity in many countries. Prisoners are denied access to HIV/AIDS services and support that are available to others. Indigenous persons and migrants face multiple forms of discrimination that inhibit their seeking of HIV/AIDS services. People living with HIV/AIDS face a wide range of discriminatory practices in many settings. In short, in spite of widespread rhetorical support for human rights-based approaches to addressing HIV/AIDS, much remains to be done to safeguard the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and those most affected by the disease.
In facing these challenges, organizations of people living with HIV/AIDS, advocates and policy-makers have often needed and relied upon legal and human rights analysis and relevant research -- to challenge discriminatory laws, to resist unjust or ill-informed policies, to use legal procedures to secure peopleÆs rights and to transform social relations and conditions in ways that protect people against HIV and ensure access to dignity and care for those living with HIV. Yet such information and tools are often inaccessible in a given language or format or seldom adapted to a particular set of new circumstances. In some cases, many resources exist on a given subject, but those who need these documents do not have the time or resources to find what they need or to work out which existing materials are most pertinent for their needs.
The AIDSLEX website
AIDSLEX (the AIDS and Law Exchange) gives concrete meaning to a "rights-based approach to HIV/AIDS". This web portal is a tool for activists, community organizations, researchers, policy-makers, journalists, health workers and anyone who seeks quick and easy access to a wide range of resources about HIV, human rights and the law. It helps people around the world communicate and share information, materials and strategies, with the ultimate goal of contributing to a global effort to protect and promote the human rights of people living with or vulnerable to HIV and AIDS.
AIDSLEX achieves this in various ways:
AIDSLEX e-Library
The central component of the website is a datacase of over 2700 documents (and growing) on a range of human rights and legal issues related to HIV/AIDS. Items are available in one or more of the following languages: English, French, Spanish and Russian. The database search engine ensures that you get the information quickly and easily.
AIDSLEX People Connector
Looking for others around the world with knowledge on a particular topic? AIDSLEX includes a growing list of people around the world who work on legal and human rights issues related to HIV/AIDS: see the People Connector to find others working in your field or an on issue of interest -- and be sure to add yourself and your areas of work to the list.
AIDSLEX also regularly hosts "Ask the Expert" online sessions in which users can submit questions to which the guest expert responds during a question-and-answer session at a broadcast time and date. Users can also view past sessions.
AIDSLEX Discussions
This is an open forum for registered users of AIDSLEX. Here, they can begin or add to conversations about HIV and human rights issues. Participants can upload documents of interest to the community, pose questions to other users, seek help with their research or share information to help coordinate human rights campaigning globally.
WWW.AIDSLEX.ORG
091014
AL091001
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Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2009. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
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