Bedford v. Canada: a paradigmatic case toward ensuring the human and health rights of sex workers – HIV/AIDS Policy & Law Review 15(3)

The Criminal Code of Canada prohibits certain aspects of sex work: the keeping of a common bawdy-house, living off the avails of prostitution and communicating for the purposes of prostitution in a public place. These legal constraints impede sex workers’ ability to practise their profession safely and without risk to their bodily integrity; they also … Read more

HIV/AIDS Policy & Law Review 15(3) October 2011

FEATURE Bedford v. Canada: a paradigmatic case toward ensuring the human and health rights of sex workers A tale of two cases: urging caution in the prosecution of HIV non-disclosure CANADIAN DEVELOPMENTS Senate stalling derails bill to fix Canada’s law on affordable generic medicines for developing countries Ontario: study documents access and quality of care … Read more

Letter to Parliamentarians re: Russia and the Millennium Development Goals

We, the undersigned non-governmental organizations representing affected communities and working in the field of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment, in Canada and around the world, address you in advance of the Millennium Development Goal 6 International Forum taking place in Moscow, Russia on October 10–12, 2011.

Submission to the Global Commission on HIV and the Law re: Canada

1. Laws and practices that criminalize people living with HIV and vulnerable to HIV People who use drugs People in prison Sex workers Criminalization of HIV non-disclosure 2. Laws and practices that facilitate or impede HIV-related treatment access Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime

Joint NGO statement to UN Human Rights Council Advisory Committee, 7th Session re: traditional values

HRC Resolution 16/3, “Promoting human rights and fundamental freedoms through a better understanding of traditional values of humankind” stresses that “traditions shall not be invoked to justify harmful practices violating universal human rights norms and standards.” In order to gain such an understanding, the Advisory Committee must discuss both the negative and positive ways in … Read more

Letter to Ambassador of the Russian Federation in Canada re: Commemorating the Russian victims of the War on Drugs

“We urge the Russian government to abolish the criminal ban on methadone, to support rather than repress harm reduction programs and workers, and to reform its drug laws so as to place health concerns, not further pointless and harsh criminalization and punishment, at the centre of Russia’s response to drugs and the related harms they … Read more