HISTORY OF THE AIDS & HIV CHARTER
In the early days of the epidemic in South Africa, there was little or no understanding of the human rights issues raised by HIV/AIDS. Discrimination was widespread, and rapidly becoming institutionalised.

In response to this situation, a Charter of Rights for people living with HIV/AIDS was drafted in 1992, forming the basis for the work of the AIDS Consortium.

Drafted by three lawyers (Edwin Cameron, Edward Swanson and Mahendra Chetty), the Charter drew on international documents such as the Montreal Manifesto of the Universal Rights and Needs of People Living with HIV Disease and the United Kingdom Declaration of the Rights of People with HIV and AIDS, but was adapted for the South African context.

The Charter was endorsed by a wide range of local and international organisations and individuals, including political and religious leaders, artists and community organisations. The Charter was publicly launched on World AIDS Day, 1 December 1992, and was subsequently translated into Afrikaans, Zulu, Tsonga, Venda, Xhosa and Sotho. Other countries including Botswana have drawn on the Charter in formulating similar documents.