groups of people living with HIV/AIDS

The Commission on Human Rights at its fifty-second session in its resolution 1996/43 of 19 April 1996 requested that the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, interalia, continue the efforts, in cooperation with UNAIDS and non-governmental organizations, as well as groups of people living with HIV/AIDS, “towards the elaboration of guidelines on promoting and protecting respect for human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS.” At the same time, the Commission requested that the Secretary-General of the United Nations prepare for the consideration of the Commission at its fifty-third session a report on the above-mentioned guidelines, including the outcome of the second expert consultation on human rights and HIV/AIDS, and on their international dissemination.
In response to the above requests, the United Nations Centre for Human Rights and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) convened the Second International Consultation on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in Geneva, from 23 to 25 September 1996. This Consultation brought together thirty-five experts in the field of HIV/AIDS and human rights, comprising Government officials and staff of national AIDS programmes, people living with HIV, human rights activists, academics, representatives of regional and national networks on ethics, law, human rights and HIV, and representatives of United Nations bodies and agencies, non-governmental organizations and AIDS service organizations (ASOs). Participants at the Consultation had before them five background papers that had been commissioned for the purpose of eliciting specific regional and thematic experiences and concerns regarding HIV and human rights. Participants discussed the most important human rights principles and concerns in the context of HIV and AIDS, as well as concrete measures that States could take to protect HIV-related human rights. The result was the International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights. The full text, as adopted by the SecondInternational Consultation, is contained in annex I to the report of the Secretary-General to the Commission on Human Rights in document E/CN.4/1997/37. The Guidelines were published in 1998 by OHCHR and UNAIDS.
Significant developments have taken place with regard to the right to health and access to HIV-related prevention, treatment, care and support, including advances in the availability of diagnostic tests and HIV-related treatments, including antiretroviral therapies. There have been increased commitments at the international, regional and domestic levels towards the full realization of all human rights related to HIV, including improved access to health services for people living with HIV. Key among these are: the Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS;3 the Millennium Development Goals;4 general comment 14 of the Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights;5 and the Commission on Human Rights resolutions on the right to the highest attainable standard of health6 and access to medication.7