Eliminating Discrimination in Health Care

There have been enormous advances in the AIDS response during the past decade. New HIV infections have decreased since 2000, society is one step closer to eliminating HIV infections among children, more people living with HIV know their status and are receiving HIV treatment, and AIDS-related deaths are declining. Global commitment, clear goals, resources, innovation and, not least, communities made this happen.

This report briefly describes and defines the challenges and impacts of discrimination in health-care settings. Such discrimination affects people seeking access to HIV prevention, testing, treatment, care and support measures, as well as health-care workers in their workplace. International human rights standards provide the rationale for catalysing global action to eliminate such discrimination. This report aims to serve as a reference for policy-makers and other key stakeholders engaged in shaping policies and programmes to regulate health care, and eliminate discrimination and other structural barriers to achieving healthy lives for all.