HIV JUSTICE WORLDWIDE (HJWW) is an international coalition working to shape the discourse on HIV criminalisation, as well as share information and resources, network, build capacity, mobilise advocacy, and cultivate a community of transparency and collaboration.
We believe that HIV criminalisation is discriminatory, a violation of human rights, undermines public health, and is detrimental to individual health and well-being. Read more about the values and principles guiding our work.
HJWW was founded in March 2016 during a meeting in Brighton, UK that was funded by a grant from the Robert Carr Fund.
Why do we need an international coalition opposing HIV criminalisation?
HIV criminalisation is a global phenomenon and a critical public health and human rights issue. Pushing back takes collective, coordinated action. Civil society voices play a critical role in the global movement for HIV and human rights. As advocates for HIV justice and with other social justice movements, we are building power together by working in coalition. Keeping HIV criminalisation on the policy-maker’s agendas — including national governments, the legal community and international institutions — we must keep the pressure on.
By co-ordinating our activities, we can have maximum impact and influence, while ensuring our resources (both human and financial) are used efficiently. We can avoid duplication, share data and experiences, develop capacity, build consensus, and create energy and action. We can extend our reach, connecting across regions, identities and languages.
HJWW is a formal coalition with a secretariat, the HIV Justice Network. With this structure, we monitor laws, prosecutions and advocacy, provide tools and training for effective advocacy and communications, connect a diverse range of stakeholders, speak authoritatively, and convene strategic events. Each coalition member is able to achieve more mission-aligned impact through their engagement in HJWW. We can’t end HIV without making HIV justice worldwide a reality.
How can HJWW support country-level advocacy to end HIV criminalisation?
Depending on the local context, HJWW may be able to provide or facilitate strategic support to community organisations, human rights NGOs, defence lawyers, and individual advocates and people living with HIV.
Such strategic support may take the form of general information and resources to advocates, assistance regarding specific court proceedings, advice regarding legislative or policy reforms, support with communications activities and advocacy initiatives, and/or support for educational activities aimed at ending HIV criminalisation.
Our regional partners – ARASA and SALC (Anglophone Africa), Eurasian Women’s Network on AIDS (Eastern Europe and Central Asia), HIV Legal Network / Réseau Juridique VIH (Francophone Africa) and Sero Project (Latin America and the Caribbean) – initiate calls for small grants to support grassroots advocacy and education on HIV criminalisation on an annual basis. HIV Justice Network will also consider ad hoc requests for small grants for the rest of the world.
We regret that HJWW is not in a position to provide legal advice, counselling, or other psychosocial support to individuals.
Requests for support of the kinds described above should in the first instance be sent via the contact us form.