A plan of action for Canada to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination

Taking action on HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination has been the focus of a two-year World AIDS Campaign sponsored by UNAIDS.1 It is also the focus of a two-year campaign of the Global Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS and the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.2 And it is integral to the commitment that all the countries of the United Nations, including Canada [...] While the research that contributed to the development of the plan drew on social scientific literature and governmental and non-governmental reports, it did not attempt a systematic critique of that literature based on a 4 A Plan of Action for Canada to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination A CALL TO ACTION 5 How to use the plan of action The plan of action recognizes that circumstanc [...] This approach neglects or undermines efforts to prevent disease and promote health among people who use drugs and sex workers, and violates their Human rights and HIV/AIDS rights.27 In the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, promotion and protection of human The Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS, which Canada and other rights and promotion and protection of health are fundamentally linked. [...] The declaration states that the “full involvement and participation [of people living with HIV/AIDS] in the design, planning, implementation, and evaluation of programmes is GOAL 1 crucial to the development of effective responses to the epidemic” (Article 33).61 Participation of people living with HIV/AIDS and vulnerable to HIV in all aspects of the plan of action. [...] Canada agreed to Action 1.1 “support a greater involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS through an initiative to strengthen the capacity and coordination of networks of people Governments and other organizations implementing the plan of action take all living with HIV/AIDS and community-based organizations” necessary steps to involve people living with HIV/AIDS and vulnerable to HIV (Article IV.