India: Publication: "HIV/AIDS and the Law", by the Human Rights Law Network
Source:
HRLN via e-CIVICUS "HIV/AIDS & the Law", released in July 2007 by HRLN's 'HIV/AIDS and the Law Initiative'.
On 16 July 2007, the Human Rights Law Network launched its book, HIV/AIDS & the Law at the Women's Press Corps. The book is a first-of-its-kind, comprehensive resource for lawyers and non-lawyers. It comprises 14 chapters on subjects such as access to treatment, medical discrimination, employment discrimination, gender, commercial sex workers, confidentiality and MSMs. Each chapter contains introductory text and summaries of seminal national and international case law for non-lawyers, together with full case reports for lawyers.
The book was launched by Dr Mohini Giri, former Chairperson of the National Commission for Women and Mr Elango Ramachandran, President of the Indian Network of Positive people (INP+).
The book launch was preceded by a vigorous debate, led by Ms Anjali Gopalan of the NAZ Foundation, in which Mr Elango Ramachandran, Dr Mohini Giri, Dr Bhagban Prakash, Mr Colin Gonsalves of HRLN, Dr Chinkolal Thangsing of AIDS Healthcare Foundation, Ms Meena Seshu, Mr Hari Singh of the Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+), Mr Firoz Khan of The Lovelife Society and Dr P L Hans of the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS) participated.
The debate centred on the new figures announced recently by NACO, which give an estimated number of 2.5 million people living with HIV/AIDS in India, down from 5.2 million (and down from the previous UNAIDS figure of 5.7million).
A broad consensus emerged of scepticism over the new figures, together with a passionate call on NACO and the Government of India to release full details about the methodologies employed to develop these new figures. In particular, the debate called on NACO and the Government of India to release details about the samples used and about the way in which consent of participants to the survey was obtained.
