Three decades after the first case of HIV was found in Nepal, HIV has become one of the most devastating diseases the country has ever faced. To date it is estimated that 40,000 people are living with HIV and nearly 4,000 have died of HIV-related illnesses in Nepal. Throughout this time, people living with HIV and key affected populations, have experienced and witnessed many violations of their human rights. The project, ‘Human Rights Count for Key Populations Living with HIV (KPLHIV)’, aims to document these violations, to aid advocacy against them and to devise long-term solutions.
Region: Asia Pacific
This study is a concerted effort by APN+ to tell and make sense of the stories of positive MSM and their relationships with HIV, society and culture in the region. By focusing on community participation from the onset of study design to implementation, this study encourages mutual understanding by engaging positive MSM communities in the region and providing them safe spaces to tell their stories. By doing so, we have attempted to meet individuals and communities at their own levels, and facilitate a deeper understanding of their relationship with HIV.
This study of documenting human rights violations against PLHIV in Nepal was conducted by the National Association of PLHA in Nepal (NAP+N) in collaboration with the Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+). This study was conducted across the country for the first time, and documented 30 human right violation cases; 20 men, 10 women, age range from 15 to 50 years old. The respondents are affiliated with 15 different community based organizations of PLHIV. In addition to the documenting of cases, the Nepal Environmental Lawyers Association (NELA) has supported NAP+N to discuss the Nepal’s interim constitutions 2007 and human rights articles, as well as facilitate discussions around the broader context of human rights in Nepal.