Initiating policy & law reform

Making laws

Law reform can be a complex process. The following resources explain how laws are developed and implemented to enable advocates to effectively target their efforts.

East Africa: Regional HIV Bill passed without criminalization clause

Describes the purpose of the East African Community HIV & AIDS Prevention and Management Bill, which offers an alternative to the N’Djamena Model Laws promoting HIV criminalization.

Malawi MPs use SADC Model Law on HIV to fight bad parts of HIV Bill

After nearly 10 years of intense debate and consultations, Malawi Members of Parliament voted to reject controversial provisions in their HIV (Prevention and Management) Bill. The Bill had included provisions that would have made HIV testing and treatment mandatory for specific people in a discriminating manner. Additionally, and perhaps more controversially, the Bill had sought, also, to allow criminalisation of HIV transmission, exposure and non-disclosure. This newsletter captures part of the debates leading to the passing of the final Bill.

Report of the Special Select Committee on the Criminal Responsibility of HIV Infected Individuals (Resolution No.129/2010)

Report from GUYANA'S Special Select Committee of Parliament on the Criminal Responsibility of HIV Infected Individuals that chose not to make the transmission of HIV a criminal act, concluding  that the transmission or exposure will be a major set-back in the country's existing national HIV response, and would undermine the excellent work that is currently being done locally to address HIV.