Discrimination against People with HIV/AIDS in China

In many ways the spread of HIV/AIDS in China follows a familiar pattern to that in many other countries. For example, there is increased HIV risk and transmission among vulnerable groups such as drug users, sex workers, men who have sex with men, and migrant workers. However, the increasing rate of heterosexual HIV transmission, especially among minority groups and the presence of “AIDS villages” due to contaminated blood transfusions in the mid 1990s have made the Chinese HIV/AIDS situation unique. In this article, we aim to outline how the history of HIV/AIDS in China has led to the creation of HIV/AIDS prevention programmes for “targeted” populations. We will also discuss how different groups living with or at risk of HIV face stigma and discrimination on multiple levels. Lastly, we will provide a brief overview of some relevant advocacy and legal rights work undertaken by civil society to combat such stigma and discrimination. 1. The History of HIV/AIDS in China