ON HIV AND THE LAW
(IAS Media) – The International AIDS Society (IAS) recently congratulated the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), with the support of the Joint United Nations Programme of HIV/AIDS, on the launch of a high level Global Commission on HIV and the Law.

Comprising several eminent figures to provide global leadership on today’s most challenging legal issues in the context of HIV, the Commission’s goal is to develop evidence and human rights-based recommendations that enable effective HIV responses and realize the human rights of those living with and affected by HIV.

“The launch of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law is a major step in turning the ideals of human rights into concrete actions that support their implementation,” said IAS President Julio Montaner. “The punitive laws, policies and practices of certain national AIDS responses not only violate human rights but also dangerously undermine public health efforts to control the epidemic. 2010 was the deadline set by world leaders to achieve Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. Policymakers must now accept that a commitment to Universal Access is a commitment to protecting the human rights of all key populations, including injecting drug-users (IDUs), men who have sex with men (MSM) and sex workers. ”

“Underpinning the focus of International AIDS Conference, later this month,  the IAS welcomes the launch of the Global Commission on HIV and the Law,” said Mats Ahnlund, Acting Executive Director of the IAS.  “Under the conference theme, Rights Here, Right Now, the XVIII International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2010) will demonstrate the importance of protecting and promoting human rights as an essential prerequisite to a successful AIDS response.”

The International AIDS Society (IAS) is the world’s leading independent association of HIV professionals, with 14,000 members from 190 countries working at all levels of the global response to AIDS. Its members include researchers from all disciplines, clinicians, public health and community practitioners on the frontlines of the epidemic, as well as policy and programme planners. The IAS is the custodian of the biennial International AIDS Conference, which will be held in Vienna, Austria from 18 to 23 July 2010.