Sixty-seven countries have some sort of travel restriction for people living with HIV or AIDS. Among these, 13 countries do not allow HIV positive people to enter their countries. Sadly, the United States is one of these countries.

Recently, a provision was included in the reauthorized President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to end the statutory HIV travel ban passed in 1993. That's the good news! The bad news is that this action is only the first step. The Department of Health and Human Services must now remove HIV as one of its "communicable diseases of public health significance" in order to completely eliminate the travel ban. As a US citizen, I am disappointed that I am from such a powerful country that refuses to step up and stand for the human rights of those living with HIV.

The International AIDS Society (IAS) has recognized the hypocrisy of countries claiming to stand up for people living with HIV/AIDS, yet banning them from their borders. IAS has taken a firm stand against holding any meetings in countries that continue to impose a ban. In her remarks on a panel regarding these travel bans, Congresswoman Barbara Lee relayed her embarrassment over the fact that the United States, one of the biggest funders of the effort to combat AIDS, through PEPFAR, can't even host an International AIDS Conference.

In 2006, the International AIDS Society had the structure and grassroots organizational pressure to convince Canada to strike its travel restrictions in order to host the XVI International AIDS Conference. The International AIDS Society should re-activate such efforts towards making entry of people living with HIV and AIDS a priority for all countries and making visas more accessible for those traveling to the Vienna International AIDS Conference in 2010. Ideally, the United States will have completely lifted its travel ban and we will be able to see an International AIDS Conference in the United States in 2012.

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