Title

Realizing rights in the HIV response

Code

TUSY10

Session Type

Symposia Session

Venue

Hall 12

Date Time

Tuesday 24 July, 16:30 - 18:00

Co-Chairs:

Julia Greenberg, Open Society Public Health Program, United States
Fatima Hassan, Open Society Foundation, South Africa

This session will examine specific human rights concerns affecting the HIV response. It will take a broad look at the use of the law and legal strategies for protecting and promoting human rights in the HIV response – including ensuring equitable access to health services – through various means, such as litigation and law reform advocacy by and for communities affected by HIV and by human rights violations. Finally, it will examine how to integrate core human rights standards into HIV testing, prevention and treatment services as part of fast-tracking the HIV response. It will explore how to implement and evaluate key human rights programmes, including measures to reduce stigma and discrimination, and to educate lawmakers, police and health service providers about human rights.

16:30 TUSY1001	Introduction

16:31 TUSY1002	Welcome address Sandra Granger, Spouses of Caribbean Leaders Action Network, Guyana

16:36 TUSY1003	Populist backlash and the attack on legitimacy: how do we sustain the human rights advocacy necessary for an effective HIV response? Dazon Dixon Diallo, SisterLove, United States

16:48 TUSY1004	Taking human rights programs to scale in the HIV response: multi-year initiatives in priority countries Ralf Jürgens, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, Switzerland	Slides

17:00 TUSY1005	Fast-tracking the HIV response: integrating human rights principles and standards into HIV services Luisa Cabal, UNAIDS, Switzerland	Slides

17:12 TUSY1006	Advocacy case study: advancing HIV justice, resisting HIV criminalization Edwin Jeremy Bernard, HIV Justice Network, United Kingdom	Slides

17:24 TUSY1007	Making change, measuring impact: implementing and evaluating programmes to reduce stigma and discrimination Alexandrina Iovita, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Switzerland	Slides

17:36 TUSY1008	Q&A

17:59 TUSY1009	Conclusion

AUTHOR

Sandra Hsu Hnin Mon

SUMMARY

Human rights is a crucial component of the AIDS response to ensure equal access to health, education, and livelihood for all. An effective HIV response is one that efficiently removes human rights barriers at scale, with an emphasis on building a concerted, institutionalized movement to turn evidence into policy.

HIGHLIGHTS

An intersectional movement is required to build bridges across movements challenging HIV criminalization in order to improve the legal and social environment for HIV and beyond. Presenters stressed that the demand for equal access to health, comprehensive health education, and community mobilization must be protected by data that is disseminated to all necessary actors including policy institutions, law enforcement, educators, and civil society alike. Funders such as Global Fund and UNAIDS are looking now to transition from ad hoc, small scale investments to comprehensive, scaled-up programs that prioritize the identification and removal of human rights barriers to healthcare access and HIV service uptake and retention. Such programs not only increase the efficiency of funder investments, but also ensure the full engagement and country-level mobilization of local players required to reform punitive laws against key populations and reproductive rights.

CRITICAL ASSESSMENT

Human rights barriers continue to plague key populations and people living with HIV. True HIV justice can only be achieved when these barriers are removed through careful coordination between funders, researchers, civil society, and lawmakers. To ensure a comprehensive HIV response, funders must play a role that catalyzes the generation of scientific evidence while advocating for and facilitating dialogue around a large-scale, integrated effort to protect human rights.