Zero Discrimination Day: Closing the policy gap of the unfinished business of HIV and AIDS requires turning the page of several counter-productive laws

On Zero Discrimination Day, EATG contributed to the roundtable ‘Unfinished business in HIV and AIDS: Closing the policy gap to reach key populations in the EU’ organised by ViiV. Ricardo Fernandes, EATG Chair of the Board of Directors, focused on policy gaps for migrant populations and presented further the following talking points:

A forward-looking approach is needed to close the health gap and ensure health equity for all. An approach that focuses on ending new HIV cases, ensuring quality of life and well-being of people living with HIV, person-centered and integrated care and an HIV cure.

What is needed at country level

Closing the policy gap of the unfinished business of HIV and AIDS requires turning the page of several counter-productive laws:

• laws that disrespect, stigmatise and criminalise populations at high risk of HIV infection: men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who use drugs, sex workers, migrants and people in detention –including laws that criminalise sex workers’ clients which have harmful consequences for sex workers’ safety
• laws that prohibit provision and access to harm reduction, treatment, and health care services
• laws limiting access to healthcare based on residency or insurance status
• lack of framework and funding for decentralised community led and based services

What is needed at EU level

• Keep the focus on ending AIDS, improving health quality of life of people living with HIV beyond viral suppression and fund research including on an HIV cure
• Keep an HIV, TB, Hepatitis and STIs focus in EU4health, Horizon Europe
• Fund the Global Fund and push for key populations programmes.
• Monitor and act on stigma and discrimination
• Join Global Stigma and Discrimination Partnership, led by UNAIDS in the context of the Global AIDS Strategy
• Advance evidence and rights policies: drug policy, access to care for undocumented migrants, sex work laws

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