As representatives of the people, parliamentarians can reflect the voices and concerns of all people, including those living with or affected by HIV and members of key groups at higher risk, such as marginalized communities. 

This toolkit is for people working to establish, strengthen or expand HIV-related legal services.
The toolkit is primarily for:

●  Lawyers, legal service managers and other staff involved in delivering legal
services for people living with HIV, people affected by HIV and key
populations. 

●  People planning to establish or expand HIV-related legal services and those
involved in preparing proposals to funders. This may include networks of people living with HIV, HIV-focused organizations and organizations that are providing other services to people living with HIV, people affected by HIV and key populations. 

AIDS is the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome, which is caused by the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Discovered in the early 1980s, HIV is transmitted from person to person through unprotected sex, transfusion of infected blood, sharing of contaminated needles and from mother to child during pregnancy, birth or breastfeeding.

Through the long struggle against HIV, it has become clear that human rights are central to effective national responses to HIV.Where human rights are not protected, people are more vulnerable to HIV infection.Where the human rights of HIV-positive people are not protected, they suffer stigma and discrimination, become ill, become unable to support themselves and their families, and if not provided treatment, they die.Where rates of HIV prevalence are high and treat- ment is lacking, whole communities are devastated by the impact of the virus. Between 1981 and 2007, some 65 million people became infected with HIV and some 25 million died of AIDS. HIV has spread to every country in the world and, in the hardest-hit countries, it is undoing most of the development gains of the past 50 years.

Across the world, many countries and legal jurisdictions have adopted HIV-specific laws or invoked general criminal law to prosecute individuals who allegedly fail to disclose their HIV status prior to sexual relations (HIV non-disclosure), expose others to HIV (HIV exposure), and/or transmit HIV to others (HIV transmission). Although the exact number of initiated and completed prosecutions for HIV non-disclosure, exposure and transmission is unknown, the Global Network of People Living with HIV has identified some 600 known convictions for HIV non-disclosure, exposure or transmission, the great majority of which have taken place in high income countries. 

Mongolia is considered to be a low prevalence country for HIV/AIDS, having 100 officially reported cases as of 31 December 2011, of which 81 were male and 19 female. Among the reported male cases, 85% were men who have sex with men (MSM), whereas 52% of female cases were female sex workers (FSW). In March 2008, six UN agencies agreed upon a Joint Programme document to act as a guide for collaboration and UN HIV/AIDS related activity in Mongolia. The expected outputs of the programme were improved strategic planning, governance and financial management, and strengthened leadership; scaling up targeted prevention interventions; scaling up treatment, care and support; and enhanced monitoring, evaluation, knowledge sharing and accountability.

Nepal conducted a mapping and size estimation exercise of Most at Risk Population (MARP) groups in consideration of the epidemic’s nature, limited information available on the MARP groups of Female Sex Workers (FSWs), Men having Sex with Men (MSMs), and Injecting Drug User (IDUs) population,and the need for a more robust and evidence informed response to HIV in order to maximize results.

Nepal conducted a mapping and size estimation exercise of Most At Risk Population (MARPs) in consideration of the epidemic’s nature, availability of limited information on the MARP groups of Female Sex Workers (FSWs), Male Sex Workers,Transgenders and their Clients (MTCs), and Injecting Drug Users (IDUs) as well as the need for a more robust and evidence informed response to HIV for maximizing results

Nepal conducted a mapping and size estimation exercise of Most-at-Risk Population groups (MARPs) in consideration of the epidemic's nature, availability of limited information on the MARP groups of Female Sex Workers (FSWs), Men who have sex with Men (MSMs) and injecting drug user (IDUs) population and the need for a more robust and evidence informed response to HIV for maximizing results.