UN Human Rights Council Resolution A/HRC/12/L.24 on the protection of human rights in the context of HIV/AIDS

The UN Human Rights Council has adopted Resolution A/HRC/12/L.24 on the protection of human rights in the context of HIV and AIDS which recognises ‘the need for the joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS to significantly expand and strengthen its work with national Governments and to work with all groups of civil society to address the gap in access to services for injecting drug users in all settings, including prisons, to develop comprehensive models of appropriate service delivery for injecting drug users, to tackle the issues of stigmatisation and discrimination, and to support increased capacity and resources for the provision of a comprehensive package of services for injecting drug users, including harmreduction programmes in relation to HIV’. Human Rights Watch and IHRA made a joint statement to the Human Rights Council on this resolution commending the efforts of the council but calling for: greater safeguards against human rights abuses with regards to HIV testing and counselling; the removal of unnecessary barriers to accessing pain medication; and attention to the difficulties faced by marginalised populations such as drug users.