Achieving Global Goals Through the World AIDS Campaign

Global Goals for HIV/AIDS Cannot Be Met Without Addressing Stigma and Discrimination

The Declaration of Commitment adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS calls for the elimination of stigma and discrimination¹. It recognizes the fact that discrimination is a violation of human rights. It clearly states that confronting stigma and discrimination is a prerequisite to effective prevention and care. The Millennium Development Goal 8² of halting and beginning to reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS by 2015 is unlikely to be achieved if HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination are not confronted.

The World AIDS Campaign on stigma and discrimination brings attention to these identified, agreed goals and will advocate appropriate measures by States to reduce stigma, discrimination and human rights violations.

Notes

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1. Preamble, 16. Recognizing that the full realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is an essential element in a global response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, including in the areas of prevention, care, support and treatment, and that it reduces vulnerability to HIV/AIDS and prevents stigma and related discrimination against people living with, or at risk of, HIV/AIDS.

   Leadership, at the national level, 37. By 2003, ensure the development and implementation of multisectoral national strategies and financing plans for combating HIV/AIDS that address the epidemic in forthright terms; confront stigma, silence and denial; address gender and age-based dimensions of the epidemic; eliminate discrimination and marginalization; involve partnerships with civil society and the business sector and the full participation of people living with HIV/AIDS, those in vulnerable groups and people mostly at risk, particularly women and young people; are resourced to the extent possible from national budgets without excluding other sources, inter alia, international cooperation; fully promote and protect all human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the right to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health; integrate a gender perspective; address risk, vulnerability, prevention, care, treatment and support, and reduction of the impact of the epidemic; and strengthen health, education and legal system capacity.

   HIV/AIDS and human rights. Realization of human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is essential to reduce vulnerability to HIV/AIDS. Respect for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS drives an effective response, 58. By 2003, enact, strengthen or enforce, as appropriate, legislation, regulations and other measures to eliminate all forms of discrimination against, and to ensure the full enjoyment of all human rights and fundamental freedoms by, people living with HIV/AIDS and members of vulnerable groups, in particular to ensure their access to, inter alia, education, inheritance, employment, health care, social and health services, prevention, support and treatment, information and legal protection, while respecting their privacy and confidentiality; and develop strategies to combat stigma and social exclusion connected with the epidemic.

2. The Millennium Development Goals and targets come from the Millennium Declaration (A/RES/55/2; PDF) signed by 189 countries, including 147 Heads of State, in September 2000.