ARV Users Association (AUA) is a community-based organisation formed by a group of people living with HIV. 86% of AUA’s current staff live with HIV, 60% of their management team are women, and many staff comes from diverse ethnic backgrounds. Since registering with MoI in 2003, AUA plays an important role in coordinating different stakeholder groups by bringing together government and civil society representatives, service providers and community members to advocate for human rights and access to quality healthcare.

AUA builds capacity and leadership within the community by training and employing People Living with HIV (PLHIV). This is unique among HIV/AIDS organisations in Cambodia in that its staff works directly alongside healthcare providers. AUA’s triage teams support patient reception, case management, referrals, and partner tracing and testing, while the counselors and group organisers offer targeted social support that focuses on treatment adherence and positive prevention. AUA also provides financial and in-kind support for greatest-need patients.

AUA’s visions to see Cambodian people, especially those People Living with HIV/AIDS having full access to Universal Rights Dignity and Peace. AUA’s mission is to empower people living with HIV/AIDS, particularly those receiving ART, to understand their illness, treatment, and right to quality care; and to confront the challenges in their lives.

It’s My Right: Women Living with HIV project enhances human rights literacy, improves levels of understanding around Cambodia’s HIV/AIDS Law and builds a response capacity among healthcare providers, duty bearers and People Living with HIV (PLHIV), particularly women living with HIV(WLHIV). Its intended outcome is WLHIV having increased confidence to report human rights violations and improved knowledge of the mechanisms in place for addressing violations.

WLHIV and KPs (Key Populations/marginalised at risk people) are empowered to advocate for their human rights and right to quality care. Stakeholders and duty bearers have a common understanding of what constitutes an appropriate response to rights violations and the penalties for breaking the law.

This project supports the National Aids Authority (NAA) in delivery of capacity building on basic Human Rights and current HIV/AIDS law and issues in Cambodia. The innovative advocacy tools and the establishment of WLHIV group are defined as part of the activities to achieve its project goal. This 12 months project is targetting 4 districts of Banteay Meanchey and Rattanakiri province where the majority of indigenous people are located.