People vulnerable to or living with HIV/AIDS are often denied their basic human rights, such as the rights to: non-discrimination, work and social security, health, equality between women and men, privacy, education and information, marry and found a family, liberty and freedom of movement. This human rights deficit has increased the spread of infection among marginalized groups and the impact on society. It has eroded the dignity of people living with HIV/AIDS and their access to treatment. It has disempowered individuals and communities.

The Asia-Pacific Regional Office of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has launched a project on HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in Asia Pacific.

Through a consultative process led by the Regional Office, recommendations are being developed for governments, civil society and United Nations agencies in Asia-Pacific on integrating human rights into HIV/AIDS responses in Asia-Pacific. The recommendations will emerge from extensive country-level consultations, background papers and a regional expert meeting in Bangkok on 23-24 March. The project includes extensive involvement of people vulnerable to or living with HIV/AIDS, as well as governments, experts and NGOs.

The consultative process will also identify practical ways to integrate the recommendations into advocacy, training and guidance provided in the region, especially to support governments in tackling the epidemic. The background papers and country-level and regional meetings will also seek to increase the understanding of the patterns of human rights problems relating to HIV/AIDS in the region and identify best practices in the area of human rights to help prevent the spread of the virus and to protect those living with HIV/AIDS.

Participants in the meeting will include people from South, East, North, and South East Asia and the Pacific region. They will represent a wide variety of vulnerable populations including people living with HIV/AIDS, injecting drug users, male and female sex workers, men who have sex with men, children, women, mobile populations and ethnic minorities.