The HIV Legal Network (formerly the Canadian HIV/AIDS Legal Network) is

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its Provinces and territories of Canada, ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, making it the world's List of coun ...

's leading

advocacy organization Advocacy is an activity by an individual or group that aims to influence decisions within political, economic, and social institutions. Advocacy includes activities and publications to influence public policy, laws and budgets by using fac ...

working on the legal and

human rights Human rights are universally recognized Morality, moral principles or Social norm, norms that establish standards of human behavior and are often protected by both Municipal law, national and international laws. These rights are considered ...

issues raised by

HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

and

AIDS The HIV, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that attacks the immune system. Without treatment, it can lead to a spectrum of conditions including acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). It is a Preventive healthcare, pr ...

. The organization actively promotes the human rights of people living with and vulnerable to

HIV and AIDS The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...

, in Canada and internationally, through

research Research is creative and systematic work undertaken to increase the stock of knowledge. It involves the collection, organization, and analysis of evidence to increase understanding of a topic, characterized by a particular attentiveness to ...

and analysis, advocacy and

litigation A lawsuit is a proceeding by one or more parties (the plaintiff or claimant) against one or more parties (the defendant) in a civil court of law. The archaic term "suit in law" is found in only a small number of laws still in effect today. ...

, public education, and

community mobilization Community mobilization is an attempt to bring human and non-human resources together to undertake developmental activities and achieve sustainable development. Process Community mobilization is a process through which action is stimulated by ...

. The organization was founded in

Montreal Montreal is the List of towns in Quebec, largest city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Quebec, the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-largest in Canada, and the List of North American cit ...

Quebec Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...

, Canada, in 1992, by human rights lawyers Ralf Jürgens, David Patterson, David Thompson, and Norman Halde. It is currently located in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada.

Issues

Unjust laws and policies and violations of

continue to worsen the impact of HIV and AIDS. The Legal Network's mandate focuses on ensuring that the human rights of people living with and affected by HIV and AIDS are respected, protected, and fulfilled; and that

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

and

international law International law, also known as public international law and the law of nations, is the set of Rule of law, rules, norms, Customary law, legal customs and standards that State (polity), states and other actors feel an obligation to, and generall ...

s and policies facilitate

HIV prevention HIV prevention refers to practices that aim to prevent the spread of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV prevention practices may be undertaken by individuals to protect their own health and the health of those in their community, or may ...

efforts, as well as care, treatment, and support for people living with HIV and AIDS. While the Legal Network is based in Canada, their work extends around the world, wherever human rights are threatened, including the rights of LGBTQ people. Recently, the Legal Network launched a new fund, the Caribbean Can Rainbow Fund, to benefit this important work in the Caribbean. The organization's research, analysis, education, and advocacy touches on a range of issues: Aboriginal Communities, Access to Medicines, The Caribbean, Criminalization, Discrimination, Drug Policy, Immigration and Travel, Income Security, LGBTQ Rights, Prevention Technologies, Prisons, Privacy, Sex Work, Testing, Women's Rights, Russia, and Rights.

Publications

The Legal Network produces an extensive range of publications on numerous HIV-related legal and policy issues, including info sheets, Q&A documents, briefing papers, submissions to governments and other advocacy materials, commentaries and research articles in journals, and full-length research and analytical reports. The organization has received international recognition as one of the world's foremost sources of materials on the legal and human rights aspects of HIV and AIDS. In 1994, the Legal Network began publishing the ''HIV/AIDS Policy & Law Review'' (originally the ''Canadian HIV/AIDS Policy & Law Newsletter''), with approximately three bilingual issues published annually. In 2012 and after 18 years of publication, the Legal Network announced that it would be putting the ''Review'' on an "indefinite hiatus" due to a lack of available funds resulting from a significant federal funding cut to the organization's annual budget. The ''Review'' summarized and analyzed current developments in HIV-related policy and law, promoted education and the exchange of information, ideas, and experiences from an international perspective around human rights issues affecting the global HIV response. Archived copies of the ''Review'' are hosted on the Legal Network's website and have remained freely accessible for download.

Films

The Legal Network has produced the following films: # ''Positive Women: Exposing Injustice'' (2012) # ''Consent: HIV Non-Disclosure and Sexual Assault Law'' (2015)

References

External links

HIV Legal Network
{{DEFAULTSORT:HIV Legal Network Human rights organizations based in Canada Medical and health organizations based in Ontario HIV/AIDS organizations in Canada Legal advocacy organizations based in Canada Legal organizations based in Ontario