HIV is one of the most widely talked about illnesses in history and has become a pandemic of massive proportions particularly inSouthern Africa. There are many untrue stories about AIDS and this causes people who are living with the disease to live with fear, prejudice and discrimination. It is important that people understand what HIV and AIDS are and how to prevent the diseasefrom spreading but it is also important that we look at ways of undoing the prejudice that has built up around the disease.

South Africa is experiencing the largest HIV and AIDS epidemic in the world.

Different provinces in South Africa however experience different levels of HIV infections and AIDS related deaths. This shows that the epidemic is in different stages of development in each province and that a different approach to addressing the epidemic is necessary to change the course of new infections and deaths.

Acknowledgement

The contents of certain sections of this chapter were originally based on relevant chapters in the publication HIV/AIDS and the Law, published by the AIDS Law Project (now SECTION27) and Lawyers for Human Rights.

For more information see www.section27.org.za