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| ORGANISATION: | SOCIO-LEGAL INFOMATION CENTRE |
| AREA: | 7 STATES OF INDIA INCL. TAMIL NADU, ANDHRA PRADESH, GOA & ORISSA |
| GRANT PERIOD: | 2007 - 2010 |
| BENEFICIARIES: | 6,000 PEOPLE LIVING WITH HIV/AIDS |
India now has one of the largest populations of HIV positive people in the world, but it also has some of the highest levels of stigma towards people living with HIV/AIDS leading to routine discrimination, exploitation and victimisation.
There is no adequate legal framework or legislation to protect the rights of positive people and most people have little access to legal services.
EJAF has funded an innovative programme by the Human Rights Law Network which addresses this issue on a number of levels by:
- Partnering with HIV positive networks in 7 high prevalence or highly vulnerable states to establish legal aid centres which will provide free legal counselling and litigation services to people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Training HIV/AIDS support groups in legal and human rights issues.
- Sensitising legal professionals and healthcare providers in the needs and rights of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS.
- Pursuing Public Interest Litigations in the Indian Supreme Court and State High Courts for systematic reforms in policy. These currently include petitioning for free access to antiretroviral treatment, free CD4 tests and proper counselling and privacy at voluntary counselling and testing centres.
The Human Rights Law Network (HRLN) is a branch of the Socio-Legal Information Centre. It is an Indian non-profit organisation made up of lawyers and social activists dedicated to advancing human rights and justice for all through the legal system. This programme builds on HRLN's previous work partnering with HIV positive networks in 9 states of India to establish free legal aid centres representing the needs of people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS through legal counselling, litigation, peer education and legal trainings.