Demanding greater attention to human rights in Armenia’s HIV response, a group of NGOs including Helsinki Citizens Assembly Vanadzor, Anti-drug Civil Union, Need for Public Information and Knowledge, and Real World, Real People, convened roundtable discussions on World AIDS Day 2010 with participation of high-level officials, international donors, nongovernmental organizations, activists, and people affected by the epidemic.
The roundtables focused on the 10 reasons why human rights should be at the center of HIV/AIDS response as outlined in the statement Human Rights and HIV/AIDS: Now More Than Ever, endorsed by more than 800 organizations worldwide. The Open Society Assistance Foundation Armenia plans to hold similar events annually and to expand the campaign to other regions of Armenia to involve more people in the fight for a human rights-centered response to HIV.