17 December 2008
Alliance Advocating for the Rights of People Living with HIV/AIDS (AARL HIV/AIDS) says people living with Aids may be vulnerable, but they are, nevertheless, entitled to their human rights and fundamental freedoms.
The information officer of the Alliance, Omecee Johnson made the assertion over the weekend in Jacob Town where the Alliance targeted three urban communities to carry on sensitization among residents to promote and protect the rights of HIV/AIDS people.
The awareness program which ran from December 11-13, 2008 took place in West Point and Jacob Town communities under the theme "Respect their rights and dignity."
Alliance media boss recalled a meeting on HIV/AIDS in 2006 at the level of the UN where world leaders reaffirmed their commitment to ensuring the full realization of all human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, as an essential element in the global response to fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
According to him, gender inequality makes women more vulnerable to HIV with women and young girls said to be having the highest rates of infection in heavily affected countries in the world, with Liberia no exception.
Johnson said the rights and needs of women and young people are largely ignored in many societies in response to HIV, although they are the hardest hit.
He also told the residents in the three targeted communities that women and girls faced "widespread discrimination and gender-based violence which include shelter, employment, education, training and health support services.
These factors, he said fuel HIV risk and impede access to information and services. More than that, he accused the media of disseminating negative portrays of women, especially those living with HIV/AIDS, which he said intensified their psychological trauma.
This, Johnson said, is being done through the production of dramas, jingoes, songs and advertisements.
He warned that universal access will never be achieved without human rights, and called on the Liberian government and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) to integrate a "rights-based responses" into their programs and policies to ensure that national HIV/AIDS programs have measures to combat discrimination and violence against people living with the disease.
The Alliance was formed following a 10-day intensive training of trainers (TOT) workshop conducted by Actionaid International, Liberia program which took place at the Cuttington University campus in Suakoko, Bong County.
It brought together 23 national and community-based organizations in the country, and was aimed at training participants on how to infuse a "right-based" approach to programming with emphasis on the rights of vulnerable people, a methodology that is taking a global focus rapidly.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2008 The Analyst. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
