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.
UNAIDS and the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) have signed a cooperation agreement to work together in addressing HIV-related discrimination. Cooperation activities will focus on creating enabling legal environments that support access to health and promote non-discrimination for vulnerable populations living with and affected by HIV.
El fortalecimiento de los servicios legales relacionados con el VIH es fundamental para superar la discriminación que las personas afectadas por el virus sufren en el acceso a los derechos y la justicia, concluyeron expertos y trabajadores de servicios legales relacionados con el VIH procedentes de cinco países latinoamericanos que se reunieron en México, D.F., del 13 al 15 de mayo de 2014.
Usando el derecho y las políticas legislativas para una respuesta efectiva al VIH/SIDA (2 a 27 de junio de 2014)
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.
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.
To mark World Health Day on April 7, 2013, IDLO Head of Social Development David Patterson issued a call to action.
Heart disease.
You don’t catch it from a toilet seat.
Cancer: it doesn’t spread through sneezing.
And diabetes? Well, no, you won’t pick it up on the subway.
The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) welcomes the decision of India’s Supreme Court earlier this week to uphold a patent law that supports public health by protecting access to affordable generic medicines.
