Other Activities
The Unit and its staff have been part of several important initiatives at the national and international levels and have attempted to influence public opinion on HIV/AIDS at various levels. Some of these include:
National Conference on Human Rights and HIV/AIDS - New Delhi, November 2000. This conference was organised by the Unit jointly with the National Humans Rights Commission, NACO, UNAIDS and UNICEF.
It aimed at building capacities of members of the National/State Human Rights Commissions and senior law enforcement personnel throughout India on the links between HIV/AIDS and Human Rights and the need for a rights-based approach. The Unit provided the intellectual resources for and conducted the National Conference and assisted in its organisation.
[Click here to download attachment National Conference on Human Rights and HIV/AIDS]
International Guidelines on Human Rights & HIV/AIDS - The Project Director of the Unit was one of the original team of experts who was helped draft the UNHRC/UNAIDS International Guidelines on Human Rights & HIV/AIDS in 1997. The Unit continued to be consulted on these Guidelines when the Project Coordinator represented it at a meeting of experts in 2002 to amend Guideline 6.
[Click here to download the guidelines]
UN General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS - The Unit was one among a handful of NGOs invited from Asia to represent civil society and participate in providing inputs to draft Declaration of Commitment to be passed by the UN General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS) on HIV/AIDS, in 2002. It was represented in this process by the Project Director and the Project Coordinator. The Unit was also one among 10 civil society representatives asked to speak at the Roundtable on Human Rights at the UNGASS, which it did through its Project Coordinator.
[Cick here to download attachment]
Draft Legislation on HIV/AIDS - The Unit was approached by the Government of India to draft a rights-based legislation on HIV/AIDS. The draft bill went through an extensive process of consultation throughout India and it is now with the government in its final leg. It is expected to be tabled in the monsoon session of 2008.
[Click here to download attachment]
The South Asia Human Development Report (HDR) on HIV/AIDS, UNDP - The Unit was asked to contribute a chapter on Human Rights & HIV/AIDS for the UNDP HDR on HIV/AIDS for the region, which was undertaken and accomplished by the Unit staff.[Click here to download the chapter]
Toronto 2006, XIV International Conference on HIV/AIDS, Toronto - The Project Director was a plenary speaker at the Conference, and delivered the Jonathan Mann lecture. Several of the staff of the Unit were speakers at the said Conference.
[Click here to download attachment]
Satellite Conference, XIV International Conference on HIV/AIDS, Barcelona - The Unit co-hosted a Satellite Conference called 'Putting Third First: Vaccines and Access to Treatment' as part of the XIV International Conference on HIV/AIDS in Barcelona in 2002, along with the AIDS Law Project, South Africa and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network.
International Conference on AIDS in the Asia-Pacific (ICAAP) - The Unit has had a regular and significant presence at the ICAAPs held since its formation including those in Kuala Lumpur (1999), Melbourne (2001) and Kobe (2005). Several of its staff have chaired, been speakers at, or delivered plenary addresses at these meetings in recognition of the Unit's contribution in the Asian region.
Enduring Commitments from Legal Experts - Since its inception the Unit has focused at sensitising the judiciary on Human Rights, HIV/AIDS and the Law, particularly since the judiciary plays a key role in influencing the law and creating important precedents. In order to fulfill this objective the Unit has developed a relationship with 2 of the foremost on HIV/AIDS and Law - Justice Michael Kirby, High Court of Australia and Justice Edwin Cameron, Supreme Court of Appeal, South Africa. These experts have been brought to India annually over the last 7 to 8 years to conduct workshops on HIV/AIDS and the Law with judges in India in an attempt to promote the rights-based approach and contribute to an enabling environment. The Unit's relationship with these leading experts has been an enduring one that is expected to sustain through the years.