Discrimination, stigma, violence and other human rights violations continue to undermine efforts to end the AIDS epidemic, according UNAIDS Deputy Executive Director, Luiz Loures. Last Friday, the Human Rights Council held a special session in Geneva, Switzerland, to discuss progress in and challenges of addressing human rights issues in the context of the AIDS response. UNAIDS has published a short article about this special session.
“The panel called for rights-based responses to AIDS, universal health coverage to ensure equitable access, availability of medicines for all, an end to discrimination in health-care settings and increased investment in human rights programmes. There were also calls to eliminate punitive and discriminatory laws that lead to violations of human rights and poorer health outcomes by driving key populations away from HIV services. The panellists stressed that without addressing deeply entrenched inequalities, including gender inequality, and ensuring full enjoyment of sexual and reproductive health and rights, the world will not end the AIDS epidemic”, the article said.
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