A/HRC/17/25 knowledge grew, and the hysteria surrounding its modes of transmission gradually abated, the extremity of the responses decreased, but identification of the symbiotic relationship between achieving public health and development outcomes, and protecting and promoting human rights, took longer to gain widespread acceptance. It remains overlooked in certain spheres of development, and the lessons learned regarding the effectiveness of responding to HIV using human rights are being increasingly forgotten. Nevertheless, where approaches utilizing human rights have been employed to address HIV, outcomes have been extremely encouraging. 44. The experience of the Sonagachi Project, started by the All India Institute of Hygiene and Public Health in Kolkata, India in 1992, is indicative of the potential of right to health-based interventions. While the project began as a traditional STD/HIV intervention amongst sex workers in the red-light areas within the district, it soon evolved into one that had at its core central facets of the right to health framework – most importantly, community participation – in an effort to empower the sex worker community to realize their own rights, and ultimately prevent the spread of HIV. The programme noted successful outcomes in respect of health and development; its most quantifiable effects included significantly improved condom usage,53 and reduced HIV rates amongst the Sonagachi sex worker population.54 However, its processes and their effects have also been thoroughly researched, reflecting its successes in advocacy and community leadership. 45. These processes – participation-based empowerment intervention strategies – are grounded in the right to health framework, and had a broad impact on factors reducing vulnerability of sex workers to infection with HIV and other STDs. Outcomes of these processes also included improved knowledge of STDs and condom protection and the establishment of social support amongst sex workers.55 46. The Special Rapporteur notes that this set of interventions, which has ultimately resulted in significant development of affected communities, successfully applied core elements of the right to health framework, including participation and non-discrimination. The interventions also acknowledged and promoted the fundamental freedoms and entitlements of the sex workers involved in the project; particularly, the right to control one’s health and body, including sexual and reproductive health. The programme moreover secured health services for sex workers, most notably through improving their acceptability and accessibility.56 47. Similarly, the experience of the UNIFEM South Asia Partnership with the Positive Women Network (PWN+) and Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) is a good example of how a rights-based, gender-sensitive response to HIV added significant value to pre-existing programming strategies in this area. The PWN+ has over 5,000 members throughout India, and works to support women living with HIV/AIDS by destigmatizing the illness; educating affected women; and establishing support, referral and empowerment systems.57 The partnerships’ activities included initiation of national consultations of HIV53 54 55 56 57 14 D. T. Swendeman, et.al., “Evidence for the efficacy of the Sonagachi project in improving condom use and community empowerment among sex workers: results from a cohort-control study”, paper prepared for the International Conference on AIDS, (July 2004), pp. 11-16. S. Jana, I. Basu, et. al., “The Sonagachi Project: a sustainable community intervention program,” AIDS Educ Prev. , vol. 16, No. 5, (October 2004), pp. 405-14. Dallas Swenderman et. al., “Empowering sex workers in India to reduce vulnerability to HIV and sexually transmitted diseases” Social Science & Medicine, vol. 69, No. 8 (October 2009), p. 1165. Smarajit Jana et al, “The Sonagachi Project: A Sustainable Community Intervention Program” AIDS Education and Prevention, vol. 15, No. 5 (October 2004), pp. 408-409. P. Kousalya et. al, “Using Rights-Based Processes Towards Building Gender-Sensitive Responses for Women Living with HIV/AIDS: The UNIFEM South Asia Partnership with the Positive Women