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HIV and the law

More than two decades after the first cases of AIDS were diagnosed in Australia, people living with HIV still face unacceptable levels of discrimination and stigma.

NAPWA is working to end discrimination, protect the legal rights of positive people and foster an environment of co-operation and trust.

Key resources

HIV+ Gay Sex
HIV+ Gay Sex (cover)

A booklet about being gay, having HIV and sex. Second Edition (2002).

Same-Sex Law Reform and Pension Changes: the Case for Savings Provisions & Other Transitional Arrangements
Same Sex Law Reform briefing paper - cover

This briefing paper discusses the impact of changes to social security payments (including the Disability Support Pension) for people in same-sex relationships, which are planned to take effect from 1 July 2009.

Are you clean?

Positive Living article • David Menadue • 26 February 2010

It has become a favourite on online dating sites as the ‘polite’ way to ask about HIV status. Just for the record, it is not polite. It is both stigmatising and discriminatory.

Twenty five years on, do we still suffer stigma and discrimination? David Menadue finds that, in some areas particularly, we still do. read more »

Declaration of rights for people living with HIV/AIDS

Story • 18 November 2005

Full text of the revised Declaration of Rights for People Living with HIV/AIDS, launched at the NAPWA Conference on 19 November. read more »

HIV legal website launched

Positive Living article • www.aidslex.org • 4 March 2010
Living with HIV

AIDSLEX is an international tool for activists, community organisations, researchers, policymakers, journalists, health workers and anyone who wants quick and easy access to a wide range of resources about HIV, human rights and the law.

The central component of the website is a database of over 2700 documents (and growing) on a range of human rights and legal issues related to HIV. read more »

Throwing the book at them

Positive Living article • Adrian Ogier • 4 December 2009

The key to limiting HIV transmission lies in behaviour modification in an enabling environment,’ Senator Louise Pratt told those gathered at the launch of the NAPWA HIV criminalisation monograph in October.

The Canberra launch was hosted by Senator Pratt, who chairs the Parliamentary Liaison Group for HIV/AIDS, Blood-Borne VirusesA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. and STIs[Sexually Transmissible (or Transmitted) Infection] Infections spread by the transfer of organisms from person to person during sexual contact. Also called venereal disease (VD) (an older public health term) or sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). . read more »

World AIDS Day: 
‘We are living our rights’

Media release • Paul Kidd • 1 December 2009

State and federal governments should make a clear commitment to reforming laws that discriminate against HIV-positive people, state and national organisations representing people living with HIV have said. read more »

Kay Hull launches the NAPWA monograph [video]

Video • Paul Kidd • 22 October 2009

Speech by Hon. Kay Hull MP, federal member for Riverina, to launch the NAPWA monograph "The Criminalisation of HIV Transmission in Australia: Legality, Morality and Reality", at Parliament House Canberra on 22 October 2009. watch video »

Launch of the NAPWA Criminalisation Monograph

Story • Paul Kidd • 22 October 2009

“The key to limiting HIV transmission lies in behaviour modification in an enabling environment,” Senator Louise Pratt told the launch of the NAPWA HIV criminalisation monograph in Canberra today. read more »

The Criminalisation of HIV Transmission in Australia: Legality, Morality and Reality

Discussion paper • Sally Cameron and John Rule (eds) • 22 October 2009

This monograph addresses the issue of criminal prosecution of people who transmit HIV in Australia, examining the legal, moral and ethical justification for laws criminalising HIV transmission and the impacts of criminalisation on people with HIV. read more »

HIV and the law: reinforcing the model of shared responsibility

Story • Robert Mitchell • 21 October 2009

Recent increases in criminal prosecutions of HIV exposure and transmission in Australia have caused considerable concern and led some to ask: is that model of shared responsibility breaking down? NAPWA President Robert Mitchell explains the motivations behind NAPWA’s HIV Criminalisation project. read more »

Inconsistent laws against HIV transmission ‘a barrier to HIV prevention’: NAPWA

Media release • Paul Kidd • 16 October 2009

Increasing prosecutions of people living with HIV for reckless transmission of the virusA small infective organism which is incapable of reproducing outside a host cell. are counter-productive to efforts to combat HIV, the National Association of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NAPWA) has said. read more »

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HIV Clinical Trials update

Recently updated entries from the NAPWA Clinical Trials database.

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