Publications

Since 1986 when the first HIV case made its debut, HIV has become one of Malaysia's most serious health and development challenges. At the beginning of the epidemic, injecting drug users was key driven factor that charted the graph by leaps and bounds as the country’s responses focused more on creating awareness and early detection.  To streamline National response, AIDS/STD Sector was established within the Public Health Division in Ministry of Health Malaysia in 1993. In 1992, Malaysia AIDS Council (MAC) was established under the auspices of the Ministry of Health to compliment the national responses with special focus on most-at-risk populations. Without doubt, the current prevention landscape provides a number of opportunities that were not available in 1986.

This study was initiated to generate evidence around the vulnerabilities faced by migrant populations traveling to India. Both qualitative and quantitative methods were used to explore the vulnerability of sailors and a standard BCC questionnaire was used to assess knowledge around HIV and AIDS. The research study highlights specific opportunities for designing a HIV prevention programme addressing the unique challenges and vulnerabilities of sailors in Bangladesh which includes designing HIV and AIDS information dissemination in appropriate written and verbal from , advocate with NGO’s and civil society organization in raising awareness of the potential HIV – vulnerability of sailors.

Mongolia has always been committed to an inclusive approach to the development of the Country Progress Report and the Global AIDS Response Progress Reporting (GARPR) process. The main stakeholders in Mongolia’s national response include government institutions, development partners, and civil society organizations (as well as PLWHA). In order to ensure an inclusive and consultative process, a technical working group (TWG) was formed, comprising of government and non-government technical experts and led by the National Center for Communicable Disease (NCCD).

Unlike in other parts of the world, the AIDS Epidemic in the Philippines has been growing rapidly. In 2000, only one new case every three days was diagnosed. However, by the end of 2013, there was already one new case every two hours. A concentrated epidemic among the key affected populations (KAP) – Males who have Sex with Males (MSM) and People who Inject Drugs (PWID) may be seen in certain geographic areas. Since detection of HIV cases and the behaviour of KAPs is of utmost importance, the passive and active surveillance in the country has been strengthened.

In Cambodia, women and girls continue to be subjected to physical, psychological, sexual and economic violence, cutting across all divisions of income, culture and class in their daily public and private spheres. In contexts where women and girls face additional barriers in access to human rights, protection and justice they often experience additional risks for violence against women. This includes but is not limited to women with disabilities, women living with HIV, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LBT) women, sex workers, entertainment workers, garment factory workers and other female employees, women who use drugs or their partners use drugs, women in prisons, indigenous women and women from religious or ethnic minorities. 

Vietnam has a concentrated HIVepidemic, with the highest HIV prevalence being observed among people who inject drugs (PWID). Based on its experience scaling-up robust HIV interventions, Vietnam aims to further strengthen its response by harnessing the preventive benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART).

All children, irrespective of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, have the right to a safe and healthy childhood that is free from discrimination. The same principle applies to all children irrespective of their parents' sexual orientation or gender identity. Both the Convention on the Rights of the Child and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights make clear that human rights are universal. No person — child or adult — should suffer abuse, discrimination, exploitation, marginalization or violence of any kind for any reason, including on the basis of their real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. Similarly, no person should be denied any of their universal human rights, freedoms and basic opportunities. Further steps should be taken to change attitudes and protect children and families from discrimination based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Positive social norms that recognize and welcome diversity in cultures around the world should be reinforced to include the recognition, protection and promotion of the human rights of all people, regardless of real or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

As the world marks 25 years of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, The State of the World’s Children calls for brave and fresh thinking to address age-old problems that still affect the most disadvantaged children. In particular, the report calls for innovation – and for the best and brightest solutions coming from communities to be taken to scale to benefit every child. The Convention itself was an innovation that recognized children as people with rights that must be respected equally to the rights of adults. It has helped drive remarkable progress for millions of children, but far too many are still being left behind. The report highlights how new ways of solving problems – often emerging from local communities and young people themselves – can help us overcome age-old inequities that prevent millions of children from surviving, thriving and making the most of their potential.

In the Trans Pacific partnership Agreement (TPPA) negotiations, the United States has proposed expanded patent protections that will likely impact the affordability of medicines in TPPA partners. This includes antiretroviral (ARV) medicines used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Vietnam has the lowest GDP per capita of the 12 countries participating in the TPPA negotiations. Using the current Vietnamese patent regime as our base case, we analyse the potential impact of alternative patent regimes on access to ARVs in Vietnam.

HIV epidemic in Viet Nam is still in HIV concentrated epidemic: High HIV prevalence among people who inject drugs (PWID), female sex workers (FSW), and men who have sex with men (MSM) and low HIV prevalence among pregnant women and military recruits. HIV prevalence tends to decrease in high-risk populations and low-risk populations. Prevention and intervention programs effectively reduce HIV prevalence and risk behavior and increase preventive behavior among populations.