These background papers collate analyses on key issues and lessons learnt in the implementation of the care agenda. They are the product of 12 months of consultations initiated by the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with over 150 specialists representing a broad range of fields relevant to providing care for people living with HIV/AIDS. This publication features contributions from experts that reflect the breadth of a Technical Network on Access to Care. The papers were the background to the Declaration for a Framework for Action: Improving Access to HIV/AIDS Care in Developing Countries which was adopted on 1 December 2001 at a meeting held in Paris, convened at the invitation of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs with the support of the UNAIDS Secretariat and the World Health Organization (WHO).