Abstract
This study aimed at identifying human rights' status and situation, as expressed in the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS, of children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, non-orphans and orphans affected by AIDS, based on local and international literature review. The main study findings did not allow to accurately estimating those children and adolescents living with HIV and non-orphans affected by HIV/AIDS but data was available on those living with AIDS and orphans. The limitations and possibilities of these estimates obtained from surveillance systems, mathematical models and surveys are discussed. Though studies in literature are still quite scarce, there is indication of compromise of several rights such as health, education, housing, nutrition, nondiscrimination, and physical and mental integrity. Brazil still needs to advance to meet further needs of those orphaned and vulnerable children. Its response so far has been limited to providing health care to those children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission and financing the implementation and maintenance of support homes (shelters according to Child and Adolescent Bill of Rights) for those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, either orphans or not. These actions are not enough to ensure a supportive environment for children and adolescents orphaned, infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. It is proposed ways for Brazil to develop and improve databases to respond to these challenges.
Highlights
The AIDS epidemic has an impact on the quality of life of children and adolescents who can suffer successive losses and be deprived of their parents, occasionally of their relatives, and of their own health
A study carried out in the cities of São Paulo and Santos among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, some of them AIDS orphans, reported that, because of fear of stigma and discrimination, they put off knowing their HIV status and disclosing it to other people
Other studies in the city of São Paulo showed AIDS orphans, especially those living with HIV, have to live with several restrictions of their rights to health, education, nutrition, privacy, sexuality, and reproduction.* These all constitute violations of the rights established by Article 92 of the Child and Adolescent Bill of Rights.[3]
Summary
The AIDS epidemic has an impact on the quality of life of children and adolescents who can suffer successive losses and be deprived of their parents, occasionally of their relatives, and of their own health. A study carried out in the cities of São Paulo and Santos among adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, some of them AIDS orphans, reported that, because of fear of stigma and discrimination, they put off knowing their HIV status and disclosing it to other people. These factors have an impact on their access to healthcare and on other spheres of their emotional, sexual, social, and educational lives, increasing their isolation and vulnerability to AIDS and violating other human rights[1] as well. The present study had the purpose of describing the magnitude and status, as expressed in the UNGASS Declaration, of several human rights of children and adolescents living with HIV/AIDS, affected non-or-
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