Refugees and HIV/AIDS

The trauma of war, violence and persecution, followed by the misery of exile, are often the sad destiny of refugees. The plight of the uprooted is even worse in parts of the world affected by HIV/AIDS. Not only are refugees accused of spreading HIV and other diseases, but they are often excluded from multi-million dollar HIV/AIDS programmes.

UNHCR strives to ensure that refugees live in dignity, free from discrimination, regardless of their HIV status, and to provide at least the core HIV/AIDS interventions during emergencies. In more stable refugee situations, UNHCR provides more comprehensive programmes linking prevention to care. UNHCR also calls on governments and international bodies to include refugees in national and international HIV/AIDS prevention and care programmes.

Note: Visit UNHCR's French language website here for HIV/AIDS documents in French.