ICASO is pleased to announce the release of its new research report, "The
International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights: How are they being
used and applied?" The report is an assessment of national efforts to
improve access to HIV/AIDS treatment within the framework of the
International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights, and the role played
by community groups. This research project was funded by the Japanese
Foundation for AIDS Prevention. It analyses the responses of 15
governments
and the participation of community groups in those responses, as well as
overall awareness of the International Guidelines.

The report identifies barriers to accessing HIV/AIDS treatment, and argues
that the right to health includes such access. Twenty-one non-governmental
HIV/AIDS organizations from fifteen countries contributed their
experiences
to the report, sharing their successes, obstacles and lessons learned.
The
report highlights the need to look beyond the cost of treatment when
determining accessibility, and notes that inadequacies in health care
infrastructure play a key role in determining whether treatment is
accessible or merely available.

The report recommends that the International Guidelines be used more
actively as a tool for advocacy to promote the awareness of human rights
and the recognition of each and every person's right to health. "The
International Guidelines on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights: How are they being
used and applied" is available at www.icaso.org/docs/ighr.pdf