Publications
HIV Testing and Human Rights: Resources and Fact Sheets
Voluntary and confidential HIV testing is a cornerstone of the fight against AIDS. In order to truly be effective, efforts to scale up HIV testing must also respect and protect human rights. Testing should always be done in connection with programs that provide people who test positive with treatment, care, and support. Governments, health care providers, and program implementers should create a positive environment that protects people who are HIV positive from stigma, discrimination, and other negative consequences.
However, in a growing number of countries, pregnant women are routinely tested for HIV without their explicit consent, couples are required to take HIV tests before being allowed to marry, and prisoners, people who use drugs, and sex workers are forced by law enforcement to submit to HIV tests.
Mandatory HIV testing is taking place largely without any assessment of the human rights implications. To address these trends, the Open Society Foundations are supporting researchers and civil society advocates to examine and document the impact of HIV testing policies and practices, and to advocate for methods that respect human rights and improve health outcomes.
The publications below look at UNAIDS and WHO guidance on HIV testing, as well as local and international laws, and provide information on the impact of HIV testing policies on women and marginalized groups.
HIV Testing and Human Rights
- Increasing Access to HIV Testing and Counseling While Respecting Human Rights: A Background Paper
- WHO Guidance on Provider-Initiated HIV Testing and Counseling in Health Facilities
HIV Testing of Pregnant Women and Couples
- HIV Testing During Pregnancy: A Literature and Policy Review
- Mandatory Premarital HIV Testing: An Overview
- Women and HIV Testing: Policies, Practices, and the Impact on Health and Human Rights
Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Prevention
