1 March 2017: UN agencies marked the second annual Zero Discrimination Day for people living with HIV, calling to end denial of health care to at-risk populations such as people who inject drugs and men who have sex with men. The special day was launched in 2016 to draw attention to the need for equitable treatment of HIV-positive people and to correct information about transmission and proper treatment of HIV, especially among “key populations” such as sex workers, transgender people, and young women.

Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), called for eliminating discrimination in health-care settings so everyone can receive the treatment they need. UNAIDS statistics show that, in 2016, only 18.2 million people living with HIV could access antiretroviral (ARV) treatment, roughly half the estimated global population with HIV. The UN Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC) cited research from 50 countries showing that one in eight people living with HIV has been denied health care, and that the issue occurs in 60% of European countries. Zero Discrimination Day 2017 was organized on the theme of “Make some noise.”

In a UN Development Programme (UNDP) blog post, Mandeep Dhaliwal, UNDP, highlights the Programme’s human rights work with governments and civil society partners, which aims to reduce HIV-related stigma and encourage marginalized communities to access HIV testing and related health services. She highlights UNDP’s development of a training package, titled ‘The Time Has Come,’ which has been used in programmes in Bhutan, India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Timor-Leste, and sensitization campaigns on HIV and human rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Dhaliwal also notes that Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 on health includes a target for ending epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) and malaria by the year 2030 (target 3.3). She calls for increased investment in human rights programmes related to sexual orientation and gender identity, citing UNAIDS research that just 0.13% of total AIDS spending in low- and middle-income countries is allocated to such programmes.

In other human rights-related health news, three UN Special Rapporteurs warned that exposure to toxic air pollutants poses an increased risk of heart disease, cancer and respiratory problems, such as asthma. In a joint statement issued by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) on 24 February 2017, Baskut Tuncak, Special Rapporteur on human rights and hazardous substances and wastes, Dainius Puras, Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, and John Knox, Special Rapporteur on human rights obligations relating to the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable environment, urged better regulation of air pollutants and accountability for polluters. They called for: cross-border cooperation to promote preventive and control measures against air pollution in the energy, industrial and transportation sectors; investment in infrastructures and long-term incentives for pollution reduction; better regulation of toxic emissions from industrial sources and vehicles; strengthening waste management and recycling pratices; and promoting renewable energy.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 300 million deaths a year worldwide are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. On 6 March, the agency released two reports highlighting the negative impact of air pollution and other environmental factors to child health. The report, titled ‘Inheriting a Sustainable World: Atlas on Children’s Health and the Environment,’ links child survival to environmental factors such as access to safe water and clean cooking fuels, which help address common causes of child mortality, such as diarrhoea, malaria and pneumonia. A companion report, ‘Don’t Pollute My Future! The Impact of the Environment on Children’s Health,’ provides related facts and figures. [UNAIDS Zero Discrimination Day Website] [UNRIC Press Release] [UNDP Blog Post] [OHCHR Statement] [WHO Press Release] [Inheriting a Sustainable World: Atlas on Children’s Health and the Environment] [Don’t Pollute My Future! The Impact of the Environment on Children’s Health]