Michael J. Westerhaus ^1*, Amy C. Finnegan ², Yoti Zabulon ³, Joia S. Mukherjee ⁴

¹ Brigham & Women's Hospital
² World Education, Inc.
³ St. Mary's Lacor Hospital (Gulu, Uganda)
⁴ Harvard Medical School

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: mwesterhaus{at}partners.org.

	Abstract

In northern Uganda, physical and structural violence (political repression, economic inequality, and gender-based discrimination) increase vulnerability to HIV infection. In settings of war, traditional HIV prevention that solely promotes risk avoidance and risk reduction and assumes the existence of personal choice inadequately addresses the realities of HIV transmission.

The design of HIV prevention strategies in northern Uganda must recognize how HIV transmission occurs and the factors that put people at risk for infection. A human rights approach provides a viable model for achieving this aim.

Key Words: HIV/AIDS, Human Rights, Injury/Emergency Care/Violence, Social Science, Socioeconomic Factors