In advance of the adoption of the List of Issues Prior to Reporting for Canada’s periodic review under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (“ICCPR”), to be held during the 132nd session (28 June to 23 July 2021), the HIV Legal Network would like to provide information to the United Nations (UN) Human … Read more
Police wield immense power over many marginalized and criminalized communities, who are also disproportionately affected by HIV and/or hepatitis C (HCV). Current movements to reimagine and reduce the role of police and reinvest in community-led initiatives are imperative to promote public health and uphold human rights. At the same time, providing law enforcement with knowledge about … Read more
Seizing the moment to push for concrete and lasting change.
This is a policy brief on the specific impact of HIV criminalization in Canada on women and gender-diverse people, including exploring how it contributes to, and manifests as a form of, gender-based violence. The brief identifies legal and policy issues that need to be addressed to reduce HIV criminalization and better protect women against gender-based … Read more
This written submission complements comments made previously during our participation in two community consultation sessions. In it, we wish to expand upon our overarching submission that the unjustified criminalization of specific populations, and the role of police in enforcing such criminalization, have understandably impeded, and will continue to impede, relationships of trust and cooperation between those communities and police. In … Read more
This guide is an evidence-based resource to assist journalists in Canada in reporting responsibly and accurately about alleged HIV non-disclosure and resulting criminal cases. People living with HIV in Canada can be prosecuted for “aggravated sexual assault” (one of the most serious charges in the Criminal Code) if they don’t tell their sexual partners, in … Read more
Guided by the past and working toward the future as we challenge wrongs, advance rights, and transform lives.
The following statement is issued jointly by the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network (“Legal Network”), the Coalition des organismes communautaires québécois de lutte contre le sida (COCQ-SIDA), and the HIV & AIDS Legal Clinic Ontario (HALCO). August 7, 2020 — This week, the Ontario Court of Appeal released its decision in R. v N.G., a case … Read more
Sorry, this entry is only available in Français.
In the face of the global COVID-19 pandemic, law- and policymakers are taking and contemplating drastic measures to minimize the spread of the virus. But hasty and broad punitive measures may perversely undermine public health objectives while also violating human rights — so it is essential that any measures be appropriately narrow and comply with … Read more