UNAIDS Handbook for Legislators on HIV/AIDS, Law and Human Rights

Aims to assist parliamentarians and other elected officials to undertake appropriate law reform and develop effective legislation to fight against AIDS. Provides examples of best legislative and regulatory practices from around the world. (This resource contains content that is broader than HIV criminalisation.)

Unsafe law: health, rights and the legal response to HIV

Suggests that, while important, rights-based arguments are an insufficient basis for advocacy, with legal scholarship and research having an important role to play. Argues that policy-makers, legislators and those responsible for interpretation and enforcement of law must base their HIV response not on populist morality but on the strong evidence base provided by three decades of clinical, scientific and social research.

Technical consultation in collaboration with the European AIDS Treatment Group and AIDS Action Europe on the criminalization of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, Copenhagen, 16 October 2006

Describes the work of the 2006 WHO technical consultation on the criminalization of HIV exposure and transmission, involving participants from all over Europe. Concludes that criminalization of HIV/STI transmission or exposure should be a last resort and only undertaken in a manner consistent with human rights conventions and laws. Argues that criminalization represents a failure of prevention efforts, with greater efforts required to overcome stigma and discrimination that undermine prevention.

The Global Criminalisation Scan Report

Provides global overview of the extent to which criminal and other laws have been used to prosecute people living with HIV for HIV transmission and exposure.

HIV and the Law: Risks, Rights and Health

Presents coherent and compelling evidence base on human rights and legal issues relating to HIV, including commentary and recommendations. Chapter 2 (pages 21-25) covers HIV criminalisation.