Publications

This booklet looks at existing provincial legislation in Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, Saskatchewan and Manitoba allowing forced testing for blood-borne diseases such as HIV. We conclude with a commentary on why forced testing is unjustified and unnecessary, and what measures are really needed to deal with workplace exposure to HIV.

At the United Nations’ 2006 High Level Meeting on HIV/AIDS, world leaders reaffirmed that “the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all is an essential element in the global response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic.” Yet, 25 years into the AIDS epidemic, this “essential element” remains the missing piece in the fight … Read more

From 19 – 21 April 2007, in Ottawa, Canada, the North-South Institute and the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network jointly organized an international expert meeting to discuss Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime, broader global developments related to intellectual property (IP) and access to medicines, and alternative approaches for addressing the global deficit in both research into … Read more

This paper analyses the recent HIV-specific legislation of seven Central and West African countries from the perspective of human rights. These seven laws (the “laws under consideration”) are: the “Law on prevention, care and control of HIV/AIDS” (No. 2005-31 of 5 April 2006) in Benin; the “Law on prevention, care and control of HIV/AIDS” (No. … Read more

This article, published in Global AIDSLink #105, September–October 2007, is based on the report, Closed to Reason: The International Narcotics Control Board and HIV/AIDS.

The April 2007 UNAIDS Guidance Note: HIV and Sex Work (“the Guidance Note”) is inconsistent with previous UN statements on the central importance of respecting, protecting and fulfilling the rights of sex workers in programs and policies related to sex work and HIV. The Guidance Note fails to consider seriously the precarious human rights situation … Read more

The Interagency Coalition on AIDS and Development (ICAD), the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network, and the Canadian Working Group on HIV and Rehabilitation (CWGHR) led a consultative process to gather civil society perspectives on Canada’s global engagement on HIV and AIDS. This document is based on the findings from two sets of key informant interviews, a … Read more

Given the extensive evidence of known risks and successful responses to harm-reduction strategies, denying prisoners access to sterile injection or tattooing equipment infringes their human rights and raises questions about the legal liability of correctional systems.

“We write with regard to the government’s review of Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR), currently underway, and to share you with some highlights of findings from a recent international consultation our organizations co-hosted to examine CAMR and related issues. . . . “The full report of the Expert Consultation will follow in due course, … Read more

“As one of the civil society organizations that has been actively engaged over several years in policy discussions with the federal government regarding the issue of intellectual property law and access to affordable medicines in developing countries — and in particular the provisions of Canada’s Access to Medicines Regime (CAMR) — we write to raise … Read more