International Immigration Rights and HIV Working Group calls for questionnaire on immigration controls and HIV/AIDS

As part of the preparations for AIDS98, the International Immigration Rights and HIV Working Group is preparing a questionnaire seeking practical, country-by-country information about discrimination in policies and practice related to immigration controls and HIV/AIDS (and their impact on people with HIV/AIDS), including specific cases of discrimination on a case-by-case basis - and what was done to challenge it.

We are working very hard to come up with clear, simple questions about important areas about which we currently know almost nothing.

We would welcome proposals from list subscribers about what should be covered in this questionnaire.

The objective is to provide a manual or guide for immigrant activists and immigrants living with HIV/AIDS. Our premise is that if it is useful to those groups, it will be useful to everyone including the programme managers, lawyers, policy-makers, etc. doing work in this area.

Currently the (draft) questionnaire asks questions about the following areas :

• How do immigrant people with HIV/AIDS get the care, housing, papers, etc. that they need ?
• What are the best sources of information about the reality of AIDS in "immigrant" communities ?
• How does the medical insurance system, if any, work to exclude/include immigrant people with HIV/AIDS, documented or undocumented ?
• Can HIV be used as grounds for refusal of entry into the country ?
• Is there HIV testing at the borders ? Mandatory or pseudo voluntary ? In what context ? Does it target all immigrants or only refugees ?
• Gay & lesbian immigration rights : is there recognition of domestic partnership ? refugee status granted ?
• Internal controls : how is access to PIs restricted ? Is it possible to get medical care including PIs in prison ?
• Does insurance law require checking on immigration status ?
• HIV testing of women during pregnant ? Voluntary or involuntary ?
• Does the government deport people with HIV/AIDS ? What reasons ? Are people targetted for the "Double Punishment" of prison + deportation ?
• Is the right to self-organisation of people with HIV/AIDS, including immigrants, recognized ? Can immigrants living with HIV/AIDS organise ?
• Is HIV transmission criminalised ? What consequences for immigrants living with HIV/AIDS ?
• What is the impact of drug-related repression/laws on immigrants living with HIV/AIDS ? Drugs users in general ?
• Is the policy on blood donation racist ?

Whether or not you will be at AIDS98, your input on this questionnaire will be immediately useful and make a real contribution to this work.