UNDP report on experiences and lessons learned from national HIV laws in Asia and the Pacific

Published on Wednesday, 29 May 2013 03:49

Countries in Asia and the Pacific have put in place laws to provide legal protections against HIV-related human rights violations; these laws include omnibus national HIV laws, protections enshrined in national constitutions, and rights under general laws such as laws relating to employment, disability and health. According to a new report released today by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), legal protections are unevenly enforced and human rights violations persist for people living with HIV in Asia and the Pacific.

Weak anti-discrimination laws affect the daily lives of those living with HIV by creating barriers to access to health care, prevention and treatment, and employment and education opportunities.

Most people who experience rights abuses do not attempt to seek redress through legal means, according to the report. Increasingly, countries in the region, including Cambodia, China, Fiji, Lao PDR, Micronesia, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines and Viet Nam, have put in place HIV laws to provide legal protections for people living with HIV. However, little is known on the protective impact of these laws.

Legal Protections against HIV-related Human Rights Violations: Experiences and Lessons Learned from National HIV Laws in Asia and the Pacific systematically examines for the first time how these laws have been used and enforced to address rights violations.

This report is a direct follow-up to Global Commission on HIV and the Law: Risks, Rights and Health (July 2012) and the Asia-Pacific Regional Dialogue of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law convened in Bangkok in February 2011.

Download the report