In 1983, right at the beginning of the AIDS crisis, a group of people with AIDS decided to stand up for their human rights. In a statement, they demanded to be seen and treated as people, rather than just ‘victims’ or ‘patients’. They demanded the right to die and live in dignity.
This statement was the first time that people with an illness had stood up for their rights, and is now known as The Denver Principles’ , as it was presented at a conference in the US city of Denver. The Denver Principles are a great source of inspiration and still very much relevant to people living with HIV.