A disability inclusive National AIDS Strategic Plan: What to take away Muriel Mac-Seing HIV and AIDS Technical Advisor, Handicap International Skills Building Workshop, Mini Room 1, 14:30-18:30 19 th International AIDS Conference, Washington DC, July 25, 2012

Thanks to HEARD and its initial report on NSP review This presentation has been inspired by the work of colleagues, especially of Dr Jill Hanass-Hancock, HEARD Thanks to all the Framework contributors:

For the first time in UNAIDS’ Strategy … “When social support and other programmes for persons with disabilities are delivered in an HIV-sensitive manner, they contribute to overcoming the historic neglect of HIV prevention and support to persons with disabilities.”

Outline of presentation Background Purpose of the Framework on disability inclusion in national AIDS strategic plan (NSP) Guiding principles of an NSP Priority areas and strategies of an NSP Step by step guideline: a road map to disability inclusion Resources websites

Background UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities (2006) As of now, 153 counties signed the UNCRPD and 117 ratified it Article 9 on accessibility Article 25 in on health (including reproductive health and HIV ) Two guiding principles: 1) Universal accommodation and 2) Reasonable accommodation UNAIDS (2006) International Guidelines on HIV and AIDS and human rights recommends a rights-based approach WHO/World Bank (2011) estimate that 15% of the world’s population have a disability; 2-3% with severe disabilities Declaration of UN High Level Meeting on HIV (2011) includes disability

Background (cont’d) Growing evidence and recognition at international level of the interrelationship between HIV and AIDS and disability: Persons with disabilities as likely, if not more likely to be at risk of HIV infection Persons with disabilities are sexually active and as likely as others to engage in unprotected sex There is insufficient access to HIV prevention, information, treatment, care and support services Persons with disabilities, especially women and girls are at risk of sexual violence People living with HIV experience disability as a result of their illness, opportunistic infections, treatment or HIV-related stigma and discrimination

Purpose of the Framework It is a tool to guide the development and review of NSPs in terms of disability inclusion and in the realisation of the UNCRPD’s commitments and international guidelines To provide a step by step guideline in how to integrate disability into HIV-related plans and programmes at different levels To provide guidance and contribute to States’ accountability

Guiding principles of Framework Inclusion of persons with disabilities in NSP Protection of the rights of persons with disabilities and the prohibition of discrimination based on HIV and disability Provision of accessible HIV-related prevention, treatment, care and support services Provision of information and training on the rights of PLHIV and persons with disabilities, as well as provision of accessible legal services Inclusion of disability in mainstream research, monitoring and surveillance of the HIV epidemic

Priority areas and strategies of NSPs Human rights approach (equality and non- discrimination): NSPs should protect the rights of people living with HIV and persons with disabilities HIV-related prevention, treatment, care and support services: they should be provided in accessible and appropriate formats Legal support services: in terms of promotion of human rights and access to justice in cases of violation of rights Research, monitoring and surveillance Resource mobilization

A step by step guideline: A roadmap to disability inclusion Initiation step: initiating the inclusion of disability Developing legal and other norms on disability step: domesticating the UNCRPD into national laws and frameworks Towards integration step: developing feasible approaches Optimal inclusion step: monitoring and implementing of disability inclusive HIV and AIDS programmes

Resources websites UN Enable: UNAIDS: pub07/jc1252-internguidelines_en.pdf HEARD Resource Centre: Handicap International Source Resource site:

Thanks! Merci ! Gracias!