UNAIDS Report Highlights Human Rights and AIDS

 UNAIDS has released a report ahead of World AIDS Day, which emphasises that ending AIDS by 2030 is possible. However, this goal hinges on protecting the rights of individuals affected by HIV. The report is titled Take the Right Path to End AIDS. It puts stress on the vital role of human rights in combating the disease.

Current State of HIV/AIDS

Approximately 39.9 million people are living with HIV globally. Alarmingly, 9.3 million of these individuals are not receiving necessary treatment. Last year, 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses. Additionally, there were 1.3 million new HIV infections worldwide. In at least 28 countries, new infections are on the rise.

Importance of Human Rights

Human rights violations hinder progress in the fight against AIDS. Denying education to girls and tolerating gender-based violence are critical issues. Punishing individuals for their identity or sexual orientation further complicates access to healthcare. These violations create an environment where seeking HIV services becomes dangerous.

Leaders must prioritise the protection of rights for all individuals at risk of HIV. Ensuring access to healthcare without fear is essential. Life-saving programmes must reach every person in need. This approach is vital to slowing the spread of the virus.

Global Health Implications

Protecting human rights is crucial for global health. The fight against AIDS cannot succeed without addressing these issues. A commitment to human rights will enhance access to necessary services. This commitment can ultimately save lives and reduce new infections.

To achieve the goal of ending AIDS, concerted efforts are required. Governments and organisations must collaborate to implement effective programmes. Advocacy for human rights must remain at the forefront of these initiatives. Only then can the world hope to eradicate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Important Facts for Exams:

1. UNAIDS: UNAIDS stands for the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. It leads global efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 through advocacy and policy.
2. Gender-based Violence: Gender-based violence refers to harmful acts directed at individuals based on their gender. It impacts women’s health and access to HIV services, exacerbating the AIDS crisis.
3. HIV Treatment Gap: The HIV treatment gap indicates the disparity between those living with HIV and those receiving treatment. Approximately 9.3 million people lack necessary life-saving antiretroviral therapy globally.

Why India holds the key to global target of ending AIDS by 2030

 The world has made enormous progress in reducing the impact of HIV over the last 15 years. Globally, 30.7 million people —77 per cent of those living with HIV— were on treatment in 2023, up from just 7.7 million in 2010. This has resulted in a dramatic decline in AIDS-related deaths, down by 51 per cent over the same period. India has also made significant progress in reducing AIDS-related deaths by 79 per cent since 2010, thanks to a strong partnership between government and community, driving free treatment scale-up and the Test and Treat programme under the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO).

Annual new HIV infections have also seen a 44 per cent decline, from 2010 to 2023. However, HIV prevention efforts will need acceleration if India is to close the gap and meet the Sustainable Development Goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.

Although a range of effective treatment and prevention tools have been developed, the world is still not on track to end AIDS as a global health threat by 2030. In at least 28 countries, new HIV infections are on the rise.

So how do we protect the gains and make progress towards the vital 2030 goal?

A new UNAIDS report, ‘Take the Rights Path’, which will be released ahead of World AIDS Day on December 1, shows that upholding rights is the pathway to a robust and sustainable society.

The world can end AIDS as a public health threat if the human rights of all people living with and at risk of HIV are protected. Upholding the rights of women and girls is central to ending the AIDS pandemic.

Gender-based violence increases vulnerability to HIV. The denial of education and information puts people at risk. There is an urgent need to invest in girls’ education and to provide comprehensive sexuality education—a critical component of HIV prevention.

Barriers to accessing healthcare need to be dismantled. For example, more than half of countries have laws that prevent young people from being get tested to learn their HIV status unless they get parental permission, which scares young people away and leads many young people to remain unaware of whether they are living with HIV.

Last year there were an estimated 68,000 new HIV infections here in India. That means around 186 people are newly infected every day. The Global AIDS Strategy calls for 80 per cent of prevention services to be delivered by community-led organizations that are best placed to reach key at-risk populations. These organisations need the right space and sustainable resources to lead.

The criminalisation and marginalisation of groups of people, such as gay men, transgender people, sex workers and people who use drugs, in a number of countries, is undermining efforts to end AIDS. Increasing levels of stigma and discrimination drive people away from HIV treatment and prevention services.

To protect everyone’s health we need to protect everyone’s rights.

There is hope.

Across the world, a number of divisive laws that impede the delivery of public health services to vulnerable groups of people have been removed. Two thirds of countries now do not criminalise LGBTQ people. There is a clear trend also towards the removal of the counterproductive laws criminalizing HIV exposure, non-disclosure or transmission.

India has a long history of exceptional community leadership. The government of India has committed to achieving the 30-80-60 targets for community engagement in the HIV response as set out in the current Global AIDS Strategy.

This means communities should provide 30 per cent of testing and treatment services, 80 per cent of prevention services and 60 per cent of programmes to achieve the societal enablers. Communities must be at the centre of the formulation, budgeting, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of all plans, policies and programmes that affect them.The role of the community has been central to India’s HIV response. The partnership approach between government and community is one of the great lessons of the HIV response that can be applied across the health system.

The foundations of response are solid in India. The goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 could be a reality in the country. The next three to five years will be crucial, accelerating HIV prevention efforts will be key. If India can end AIDS as a public health threat then the world can.

UNAIDS new report provides a clear roadmap: To end AIDS, take the rights path.

Written by David Bridger

Source: Indian Express, 29/11/24

Protecting persons with HIV/ AIDS

A law to safeguard rights and prevent discrimination

The Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (Prevention and Control) Act of 2017 safeguards the human rights of people living with HIV and AIDS. The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare issued a notification to bring the Act into force from September 10.

The Act was born out of an urgent need to prevent and control the virus and syndrome. It has highlighted the necessity for effective care, support and treatment for HIV and AIDS. The Act spawns from the commitment to the global community under the Declaration of Commitment on Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (2001) for enhanced coordination and intensification of national, regional and international efforts to combat the virus and syndrome in a comprehensive manner.

The statute aims to provide equal rights to persons with HIV and bring them into the mainstream. The Act gains importance as it makes it a legal obligation to protect the privacy of persons with HIV and AIDS.

The law addresses discrimination meted out to persons with HIV and AIDS. It fortifies the health and medical health-care system for them and introduces legal accountability along with formal mechanisms to inquire into complaints and redress grievances.

The Act lists various grounds on which discrimination against persons with HIV is prohibited. These include the denial, termination, discontinuation or unfair treatment with regard to employment, educational establishments, health-care services, standing for public or private office, and insurance.

The requirement for HIV testing as a pre-requisite for obtaining employment or accessing health care or education is also prohibited.

The Act provides that every HIV infected or affected person below the age of 18 years has the right to reside in a shared household. The Act prohibits any individual from publishing information or advocating feelings of hatred against HIV positive persons and those living with them. Section 37 makes such propagation of hatred punishable with a term of imprisonment which shall not be less than three months but which may extend to two years, with fine which may extend to ₹1 lakh.

As per the provisions of the Act, every person in the care and custody of the state shall have the right to HIV prevention, testing, treatment and counselling services.

Source: The Hindu, 21/09/2018

In 7 yrs, HIV cases in India dropped by 27%: UN report

New Delhi:

India has witnessed a major reduction in its AIDS burden with new HIV cases dropping by 26.6% and AIDS-related deaths declining 56.8% between 2010 and 2017 backed by sustained and focused efforts, a latest report by the United Nations says. The report warned the epidemic was growing in Pakistan and Philippines.

In India, new HIV infections dropped from 1.2 lakh 2010 to 88,000 in 2017, AIDSrelated deaths from 1.6 lakh to 69,000 and people living with HIV from 23 lakh to 21 lakh in the same time period.

In fact, India has done better than the global average in terms of improvement percentage. Globally, new infections declined by merely 18% since 2010 against a target of 75% by 2020, though deaths due to the virus have dropped by 34% during 2010-2017 with expansion of anti-retroviral therapy and increasing access to other treatment options, the report said.

“Sustained and focused efforts to reach key populations have led to major reductions in HIV infections in Cambodia, India, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam between 2010 and 2017. However, epidemics are expanding in Pakistan and Philippines,” the report titled ‘Miles to go -closing gaps, breaking barriers, righting injustices’ said. The report has been prepared by the joint UN Agency on AIDS (UNAIDS).

Source: Times of India, 25/07/2018