HIV/AIDS & the Law. A new book from HRLN - HIV/AIDS and the Law Initiative

[Guest guest]

HIV/AIDS & the Law. A new book from HRLN - 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 5.7 million).

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.

The HIV/AIDS & the Law book is available through any of the Human Rights Law

Network offices, priced at Rs.700/- for both volumes. For full contact details,

please visit our website: http://www.hrln.org.

People can contact Ms Laya Medhini, Advisor to the HIV/AIDS & the Law Initiative

here at HRLN for further details.

Thanks.

HRLN - HIV/AIDS and the Law Initiative

576 Masjid Road, Jangpura

New Delhi 110014

Phone : +91-11-2437 4501, 5590 8841

www.hrln.org

e-mail: <hri.delhi@...>