A charter of rights calling for zero tolerance for stigma, denial and discrimination in healthcare, education, workplaces, prisons, shelters and social protection schemes for people living with HIV in Karnataka will be placed for endorsement at the State HIV Conclave 2026, “Jeevotsava”, to be held in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
Drafted by the Karnataka Network of Positive People (KNP), which now uses the term People Living with HIV and ART (PLHA), the charter outlines rights-based guarantees that PLHA say are essential to strengthen the State’s HIV response.
What it seeks
The proposed charter seeks to ensure dignity and non-discrimination, privacy and confidentiality of HIV status, access to comprehensive health services, and functional accountability mechanisms across government departments.
It also emphasises service access for communities facing intersecting stigma, including sex workers, transgender persons, sexual minorities and people who inject drugs.
Around 400 PLHA from 30 districts, including nearly 70 youth, are expected to participate in discussions at the conclave, which is being organised under the aegis of the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority (KSLSA).
H. Shashidar Shetty, member-secretary of KSLSA, said the HIV response must extend beyond medical infrastructure to ensure that every PLHA can live free from fear, stigma and discrimination. “Our endeavour is to translate constitutional values into everyday guarantees across public institutions,” he said.
Gaps in implementation
The conclave is expected to highlight gaps in the implementation of the HIV and AIDS (Prevention and Control) Act, 2017, particularly the ombudsman mechanism meant for grievance redress. “The ombudsman is a key safeguard under the HIV Act, but even after Karnataka’s rules came into force in March 2020, implementation on the ground remains weak,” said Saroja Putran, president of KNP.
KNP members said access to services must go beyond testing and treatment to include adherence support, nutrition, mental health care and linkage to welfare schemes across both public and private sectors. They also sought effective referral systems between Health and allied departments such as Social Welfare, Women and Child Development, Home (Police), Prisons, Labour, Youth and Sports, Housing, Slum Board and Legal Services.
Published – January 21, 2026 07:03 am IST
