HIV/AIDS

IDLO's work includes strengthening the legal response to HIV and AIDS in developing nations; fostering awareness of public health goals and human rights among government officials, and among those communities most at risk of HIV infection; and building lawmakers' capacity for reform based on evidence, international law and best practice.

We also work with United Nations agencies to scale up joint efforts towards zero HIV discrimination. Developed in partnership with UNAIDS and UNDP, our Scaling up HIV-Related Legal Services toolkit has been distributed in six languages (English, French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian). Separately, we have launched multilingual e-learning courses on HIV Law and Policy.

IDLO's Publications on HIV/AIDS:

The objective of this handbook is to assist law lecturers, legal clinic managers and law students in Uganda to respond effectively to the HIV epidemic. Effective responses include providing HIV-related legal advice and litigation support; leading in research on HIV-related law and human rights; and advising the government on HIV-related legislation, and the implementation of related laws and policies.

The objective of this handbook is to assist law lecturers, legal clinic managers and law students in Tanzania to respond effectively to the HIV epidemic. Effective responses include providing HIV-related legal advice and litigation support; leading in research on HIV-related law and human rights; and advising the government on HIV-related legislation, and the implementation of related laws and policies. Swahili: Huduma Za Kisheria Zinazohusiana Na Vvu - Mwongozo kwa Kliniki za...

Legal Empowerment, Social Accountability and HIV Prevention for Young Women and Girls: Lessons from Tanzania and Uganda

20 October, 2020 Legal Empowerment, Social Accountability and HIV Prevention for Young Women and Girls: essons from Tanzania and Uganda reviews IDLO's programming in Tanzania and Uganda which integrated legal empowerment and social accountability strategies to accelerate justice for women and girls. Implemented as part of the DREAMS Innovation Challenge, IDLO's program aimed at reducing new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women by strengthening demand for...

Equal Rights, Equal Treatment, Ending Aids: Strengthening and Expanding HIV-related Legal Services and Rights (English, Arabic, Spanish)

(ENGLISH, ARABIC, SPANISH) This report describes the contribution of IDLO’s HIV and Health Law Program (2009–2017) to ending AIDS in Latin America and the Middle East and North Africa regions. It details six approaches to strengthening legal services, and gives examples from different countries to illustrate how the approaches worked in a real-life setting.

Human rights protections in the law related to HIV and AIDS in Benin 29 June, 2016

As part of IDLO's program in Benin, the Benin Association for Law Development and IDLO, with the support of UNAIDS and OFID (the funding partner), developed the booklet: “Human rights protections in the law related to HIV and AIDS in Benin”. The booklet acts as a law guide for a broad audience in Benin communities, and primarily uses illustrations to communicate HIV/AIDS legal information.

Special Issue on Police, Law Enforcement and HIV

World leaders have committed to ending AIDS by 2030 as part of the Sustainable Development Goals, but stigma and discrimination remain significant obstacles. In particular, police are critical, front-line determinants of risk for many people living with HIV (PLHIV) and members of other key affected populations (KAPs). The negative impact of adverse police behaviors and practices on HIV risk is well documented, and these risks undermine global efforts to end AIDS. Far less well documented, and less common, are attempts to ameliorate this impact by working t

Guia Sobre VIH Y Derechos Humanos: Para Facilitadores Legales

La promoción y protección de los derechos humanos de las personas que viven con el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (PVV) y de las poblaciones clave (las que tienen más probabilidad de exposición al VIH) es una estrategia fundamental para la respuesta mundial al VIH. Además de salvaguardar la dignidad de estos grupos, esta estrategia ha demostrado ser efectiva a la hora de controlar la propagación del virus. En la región, la vulneración de los derechos de las PVV y de las poblaciones clave...

Toolkit: Scaling Up HIV-Related Legal Services (English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, Russian)

The purpose of the toolkit is to provide a practical resource to help to improve the quality and impact of HIV-related legal services and to expand their availability. The toolkit provides guidance on factors to be taken into account when designing and scaling up an HIV-related legal services programme. It also provides guidance about different models and approaches for delivering, monitoring and evaluating HIV-related legal services and gives information about resource mobilization

Egypt's landmark court decision on HIV discrimination

In 2015, Ahmed* was dismissed from his job as a plumber in a Giza club when his employer discovered he was infected with HIV. In February 2016, in a landmark decision for Egypt and the Arab region, an Egyptian court ruled that HIV infection was not grounds for dismissal under the Labor Code (No.12 of 2003).

31st Session of the Human Rights Council: HIV Human Rights

STATEMENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT LAW ORGANIZATION

31ST SESSION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL
THE PANEL DISCUSSION ON THE PROGRESS IN AND CHALLENGES OF ADDRESSING HUMAN RIGHTS ISSUES IN THE CONTEXT OF EFFORTS TO END THE HIV/AIDS EPIDEMIC BY 2030

Experts discuss HIV legal services in MENA

Lawyers, academics, and representatives of civil society organizations and UN agencies from across the Middle East and North Africa met this month in Egypt to discuss regional progress in strengthening and expanding HIV-related legal services.

HIV seen through the lens of SDGs

Languages: English, Español

IDLO facilitated a meeting held on January 25 - 27, with a focus on strengthening HIV-related legal services in Latin America through regional alliances.

Harare HIV Consultation

People living with HIV and HIV legal experts from around the world are to convene in Harare, Zimbabwe, later this month for the 3^rd Inter-regional Consultation on HIV-related legal services and rights, organised by IDLO.

Strengthening HIV-related Legal Services

Languages: English, Español

Q&A on Somalia with Adam-Shirwa Jama

IDLO’s Country Director for Somalia Adam-Shirwa Jama, responds to IDLO LinkedIn group members' questions:

Many thanks to the members for your interest in IDLO’s work in Somalia. Apologies if we didn’t manage to answer all your questions, we’ll arrange another session in the near future.

Tbilisi Dialogue Highlights Regional HIV Challenges

Cooperation between government and civil society is crucial in securing rights for people living with HIV, a UNDP- and IDLO-sponsored meeting was told.

HIV: Cops Too Can Make A Difference

An October 4 Police and HIV Consultation in Amsterdam issued a fervent call to promote partnerships between all those at the intersection between law enforcement and HIV – police and other law enforcement agencies, people living with and affected by HIV, and those providing care, treatment and suppor

Key Initiatives

DREAMS: HIV services for adolescent girls and young women

Adolescent girls and young women account for 71 percent of new HIV infections among young people in sub-Saharan Africa. They are more vulnerable to HIV because they are often subjected to a range of gender and age based biases, discrimination and violence, including sexual assault, forced marriage and trafficking. Despite growing HIV-related responses, they and their communities most often do not have the capacity, voice and power to hold these service providers accountable for improved delivery of quality HIV-related services.
Strengthening the capacity of law schools

One of the challenges in scaling up HIV-related legal services is the limited number of knowledgeable, skilled and committed lawyers to provide such services. Part of the solution therefore lies in building the capacity of law schools to ensure law graduates are equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills to support human rights-based approaches to HIV. Many universities, including in East Africa, offer clinical legal education programs to give students direct experience of providing legal information to clients.
Strengthening the legal response to HIV/AIDs

It is well recognized that discrimination against people living with HIV and affected populations (such as injecting drug users and women in the sex industry) blocks HIV prevention efforts. Discrimination discourages HIV testing and can limit access to care and treatment services. IDLO is working to provide legal information and representation to HIV-affected and key populations in Benin. Through collaboration with local organizations, IDLO is building local capacity in Benin and strengthening the legal response to help those living with HIV assert their rights and address intolerance.
Tackling HIV in Papua New Guinea

IDLO has conducted a three-year project to strengthen the legal environment for the response to HIV in Papua New Guinea. Under the project, the PNG Development Law Association was established as the country's first non-governmental legal aid service to address the rights of vulnerable populations. In collaboration with AusAID, IDLO provided financial and technical support; expanded access to legal information, representation and services for people living with and populations vulnerable to HIV, including victims of domestic violence; and raised awareness of rights and protections.
Empowering People with HIV in Egypt & MENA

Tolerance of minorities (religious, sexual or otherwise) remains low in Egypt and other Middle Eastern and North African countries. People living with HIV are among the groups facing most discrimination. The virus is associated with stigmatized behaviors, such as sex between men and drug use. Many people with HIV are thus forced into the shadows, denied treatment, at risk of abuse and imprisonment. IDLO has been working with UNAIDS and local partners to help hundreds of people living with, and affected by, HIV in Egypt to access health and legal services.