HIV and disability

Auteur(s)

  • Human Rights Watch

Référence

HIV and disability, Human Rights Watch, Brochure, 2012, 16p.

Signalé par

Human Rights Watch

Domaines de recherche appliquée

Thématiques

Incapacités

Zones géographiques

Résumé de l'auteur

[Part of the summary]

It is often assumed that people with disabilities face a lower risk of HIV than their non-disabled peers- because they are asexual, because they are less likely to use drugs or alcohol, and because they face lower risks of violence or sexual assault than others. A growing body of research proves that these assumptions are wrong: persons with disabilities have the same rate of sexual activity and substance abuse as persons without disabilities. In fact, persons with disabilities may be more vulnerable to HIV because they are more likely to be abused, marginalized, discriminated against, illiterate and poorer than the non-disabled population. Yet people with disabilities have been largely ignored- and virtually invisible- in the response of HIV. They are rarely included in policy debates regarding HIV and are absent from the agenda of mainstream HIV organizations, international and domestic health organizations and government agencies. Government and HIV organizations need to recognize the invisible problem of HIV among persons with disabilities and begin targeting this population before the epidemics spread even further. Persons with disabilities need to be included in the creation and development of programs meant to benefit them, honoring the principle of “Nothing about us without us”.

Commentaire du Centre Ressources

This brochure is the support for a conference organized by Human Rights Watch dealing with the issue of HIV and Disability. The document gives the example of some countries with good practices in the field – Canada, Kenya, Zambia, Central America, Jamaica. In the emerging countries people with disabilities do not really have access to medical cares or prevention of HIV. This document aims to raise the awareness of governments but also the United Nations and organizations fighting against HIV. They would try to create special medical centers to support people with disabilities and to finance the HIV and disability research. The HRW document is also intended for people with disabilities, general public and stakeholders in the field. 

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