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.”

Laws criminalising key populations at risk of, or disproportionately affected by, HIV significantly hamper HIV responses by hindering the dissemination of information, creating further stigma and discrimination and increasing vulnerability to HIV.

In this context, Mr. Sidibé referred to a “race against time to ensure universal access to evidence informed prevention services,” and highlighted the GNP+ and UNAIDS led global initiative to forge a new movement on Positive Health, Dignity and Prevention. “The movement will transform the four million people on treatment into agents for HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.”

Mr. Kevin Moody, International Coordinator and CEO of GNP+ stated that: “Before we can normalise HIV from a medical perspective we must normalise the conditions in which people living with HIV live.”

“We must end the violation of human rights and the denial of social rights, and put a stop to HIV related stigma and discrimination,” said Mr. Moody. GNP+ is engaging in different evidence gathering programmes driven by people living with HIV around stigma, criminalisation, the application of GIPA and documenting human rights violations against people living with HIV.

GNP+ supports the stance of both the UN Secretary-General and UNAIDS, and offers collaboration at all levels with the UN and its member organisations. GNP+ supports an evidence informed holistic approach to address the HIV epidemic, of which human rights for everyone are an integral part.