Following recent reports of blood donation-related prosecutions in Russia, Singapore, and the United States, the HIV Justice Network undertook desk-based research, collating and categorising all known country and jurisdictional laws that specifically criminalise blood donations by people living with HIV, and known prosecutions under these laws. We analysed these laws and cases using a global policy guidance and human rights law framework, informed by international and state-level scientific data assessing risks of transmission via blood transfusion.
How can we build alliances between community, clinicians and public health?
Advice on how to manage partnerships and promote their growth by defining objectives, participants and logistics.
Covering HIV criminalisation: four tips for journalists
Four tips for journalists to help them cover criminalisation cases in a non-stigmatising and non-discriminatory way.
Police, Law Enforcement and HIV
JIAS special issue containing examples of how police and civil society can build mutual trust and work in partnership to ensure the implementation of safe, sensitive and inclusive HIV programmes.
Issue Brief #2: The Role of The Judiciary in The HIV Response
This issue brief shares lessons and reflections on the role of the judiciary in advancing rights-based HIV responses, to inform the implementation of key commitments in the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS and the Global AIDS Strategy. These include an understanding of the critical nature of judicial decisions in shaping the HIV-related legal environment; the important legal implications of evolving HIV science; sensitizing judges to people’s lived experiences is key; and safe spaces for respectful discussion and learning among justice sector peers.
Issue Brief #1: Enabling Legal Environments, Including Decriminalization for HIV Responses
This issue brief shares lessons and reflections on enabling legal environments, including decriminalisation, to inform the implementation of key commitments in the 2021 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS and the Global AIDS Strategy. These include a shared understanding of the harms caused by the overly broad and unjust application of criminal laws; sensitization of key stakeholders and their engagement in legal review processes; A well-informed judiciary; Coordinated, multi-pronged and multisectoral legal advocacy; and, global and regional advocacy to advance national-level changes to HIV-related punitive and discriminatory laws, including decriminalization.
OptTEST Tip sheet 7 – How and where do I find evidence for a change in policy?
Explores how to change existing policy by presenting clear and understandable evidence to support advocacy.
OptTEST Tip sheet 12 – What can we do when politicians ignore the evidence?
Examples of strategies to resist or challenge poor decision making.
OptTEST Tip sheet 11 – Key Questions: Questions you should ask yourself (and be able to answer) before you ask to meet with a Government Minister
Document exploring how to prepare meeting with government officials.
OptTEST Tip sheet 9 – How should we present our case to decision-makers and politicians?
Explores how to educate decision-makers and politicians, best ways to communicate, how to frame the arguments etc.