Re: Kerala: Discrimination of children living with HIV/AIDScontinue

[Guest guest]

19th July 2004

Shri. MANMOHAM SINGH

Honourable Prime Minister

Prime Minister's Office

South Block, Raisina Hill

New Delhi - 110 011.

Honourable Sir,

Sub.: HIV +ve Kids fight for education

Freedom Foundation is a reputed NGO, recognized by the National AIDS

Control Organisation and many respective State AIDS Control

Societies. Working in the fields of Addiction and HIV/AIDS for over

a decade, we are appalled by the spectacle that is being made

regarding the right of a child to education, irrespective whether

that child may be HIV+ve or not. Children are entitled to various

rights that are intrinsic and essential for healthy development. Any

denial of even one particular right, jeopardizes the foremost right

to life in a conducive, non-stigmatized, supportive atmosphere.

There is no doubt that children of HIV+ve parents experience much

abuse of their rights and the right to education is one.

Albeit the directive that has been passed compelling the children to

be admitted to a particular school, is insufficient in addressing

the issue as the article portrays.

Stigma and discrimination is a societal response that requires much

more than a toothless directive. Enforcement of such directives only

leads to further trauma of the concerned persons. God only knows

what these kids and their mother are undergoing regarding the

existing responses. It is imperative that certain measures be

undertaken, but we cannot continue to expose the persons concerned

to the fore of this fight. The children require immediate relief and

need to be removed from this hostile situation. Today it is an

agitation, tomorrow it may be an outright physical attack on the

said persons, which could result in grievous physical harm. We need

to defuse the situation with focus on normalization for the

concerned, while the fight goes on. In this context, Freedom

Foundation extends its support to take care of the children and

their mother till such time as the situation begins to change and

becomes conducive for reinstatement.

This problem requires a multi-pronged strategy that can be addressed

from various platforms from bottom to top, rather than top to

bottom, as is in this case. No legislation can be implemented

without the groundwork being done and, in this case, there is a lot

of it to be done. Again we emphasize, that it is here that such

vicious attitudes are enacted and take their toll. While we

appreciate the response from the Government, we strongly suggest it

be tempered and planned with greater understanding of the far-

reaching consequences.

Freedom Foundation, today, runs 8 units in 4 States of South India.

Besides De-addiction, The Foundation is actively involved in

HIV/AIDS Care and Support, Prevention of Mother to Child

Transmission of HIV, CSW and Truckers Intervention, Awareness

programmes, Advocacy and Human rights issues. These interventions

cover more than 1000 HIV+ve persons per year. Our services are free

of charge and comprise the following : food, shelter, medicines and

medical support, counseling etc.,

A Home for the children exists at Freedom Foundation. We have two

Centres for HIV+ve children: one facility in Bangalore and another

at Hyderabad. All children of school-going age attend local school

and are doing well in their classes.

We reiterate our commitment to rendering immediate relief to the

kids while continuing the fight to secure their rights.

The undersigned can be contacted any time on the following numbers :

91-80-2544 0134, 2544 9766, 98452 47616

We look forward to making a contribution in the lives of these kids

as well as in the Govt. fight against stigma & discrimination.

Yours sincerely,

Dr. ASHOK K. RAU

Executive Trustee & CEO

Freedom Foundation

180 Hennur Cross

Bangalore - 560 043

Ph: 2544 0134/ 9766

E-mail: <freedom@...>

Copy to:

Shri. A.K. ANTONY

Honourable Chief Minister

Cliff House, Nanthencode,

Thiruvananthapuram – 695 003

Kerala