The Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+) is a global network for and by people living with HIV. GNP+ advocates to improve the quality of life of people living with HIV. The central theme for the work of GNP+ is Reclaiming Our Lives! GNP+ programmes are organised under four platforms of action: Empowerment; HIV Prevention; Human Rights; and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
GNP+ joins United Nations SG’s call to end HIV related discrimination and criminalisation
The Global Network of People living with HIV (GNP+) supports the call of the United Nations Secretary-General Mr. Ban Ki-moon for the organisation’s member states to end HIV related discrimination and “review their legal frameworks to ensure compliance with the human rights principles on which a sound AIDS response is based.”
During the HIV/AIDS review at the 63rd United Nations General Assembly, Mr. Ban stated that institutionalized discrimination against groups most at risk and against vulnerable populations are barriers to progress on the goal of universal access.“In recent years, a growing number of countries have taken steps to criminalize HIV transmission,” said the Secretary-General, noting that these measures have been “reducing the effectiveness of HIV prevention efforts by reinforcing the stigma. Such measures send the message that people living with HIV are a danger to society.”
UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé in his address to the Meeting of the Programme Coordinating Board on June 23 also stated that “punitive laws that discriminate against men who have sex with men, sex workers, injecting drug users, migrants and people living with HIV must be removed from the statute books, country by country.”
LIVING 2008 – organized by the LIVING 2008 partnership - was a momentous event, the first gathering of positive leaders from around the world in five years. It was an opportunity to take stock of where the PLHIV movement stands, what its challenges are and how to react to them, and where to go from there. The preparations for LIVING 2008 included a gathering of 40 HIV positive leaders entitled “HIV+ Monaco” held in Monaco from 24-26 January 2008.
LIVING 2008 participants issued a clear call to action to all PLHIV around the world to become more involved, be it in becoming experts regarding their own health, actively requesting the enjoyment of their SRHR, or in making themselves knowledgeable regarding criminalization. This, however, will require further empowerment and capacity building for the PLHIV community.
In summary, LIVING 2008: The Positive Leadership Summit was a re-affirmation of PLHIV leadership. It successfully focused the attention on main issues of concern for PLHIV and created renewed momentum for the PLHIV movement. The challenge now will be to move forward and act on the recommendations issued by PLHIV from around the world.
You can download the complete report under the following links:
The 2009 HIV/AIDS Implementers’ Meeting opened on June 10 in Namibia, drawing more than 1,500 HIV/AIDS implementers from more than 55 countries around the world to Windhoek. GNP+, represented by Dr. Kevin Moody, International Coordinator and CEO was given the opportunity to speak at the opening ceremony and called for increased support for community and civil society-based programmes and services.
Dr. Moody during his address focused on what makes the involvement of civil society so relevant for the 1,500 HIV implementers at the meeting. GNP+ over the past few years developed tools together with UN and international NGO partners, measuring stigma and discrimination, human rights violations, the application of the GIPA principle as well as the ability of people living with HIV to assess their sexual and reproductive health and rights. These tools are now rolled out in countries by national networks of people living with HIV. The evidence gathered can be used to advocate for change in policies and programmes. For partner implementers and governments, these tools provide essential information to adjust programmes to address barriers and challenges to reaching universal access.
GNP+ together with partners GNP+ NA and EATG has published news releases to the international community on new travel restrictions against people living with HIV in the United States and the Czech Republic respectively.
According to information received, as of June 1, 2009 to enter the United States, Canadians living with HIV wishing to enter the US have to go through a visa application procedure including a face to face interview, where they have to declare they are HIV asymptomatic, have received counseling on how to prevent HIV transmission, and agree to practice safe sex, amongst other things.
Also with effect from June 1, 2009, Czech visa applicants from Congo, Kenya, Moldova, Mongolia, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Vietnam will have to present health certificates, showing that they do not suffer from tuberculosis and syphilis and that they are not living with HIV. GNP+ and EATG urge the Czech Republic Government to repeal these new immigration procedures as they are stigmatising, discriminatory and have no public health rationale.
Global Network of People living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+)
P.O. Box 11726
1001 GS Amsterdam
The Netherlands
T +31 20 423 4114
F +31 20 423 4224
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Report LIVING 2008: The Positive Leadership Summit (English)
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