Chandigarh: Consultation on draft HIV -AIDS Bill 2004

[Guest guest]

Questions raised at Aids camp

Express News Service

Chandigarh, June 27: Haryana Aids Control Society, Voluntary Health

Association of Punjab, and the Human Rights Law Network, New Delhi

and Chandigarh, held a one-day consultation-cum-workshop for the

northern states of India on the draft HIV -AIDS Bill 2004.

At the workshop, many questions were raised about the Bill, which

will mark a giant leap forward for the victims of HIV and AIDS.

Speakers included Manmohan Sharma (Executive Director, VHAP), Veena

Kumari (HRLN, Chandigarh), Dr. Vijay Kumar (WHO Consultant), Deepika

D'Souza (India Centre for Human Rights, Mumbai), Magali Jandaud

(Humanitarian Lawyer, HRLN Delhi), and Vinay Naidoo (International

Human Rights Law Barrister, HRLN Delhi), and Dr B S Dahiya (Director

General of Health Services & Project Director AIDS Control Society,

Haryana).

The sessions formulated proposals and intelligent debate for the

Draft Bill, which includes comprehensive sections on the Rights of

HIV/AIDS victims, Rights of Access to Treatment, Confidentiality,

Employment, a proposed HIV Commission and Ombudsman, State

Obligations and Special Provisions, and all discrimination against

HIV/AIDS sufferers.

Issues discussed as policy matters included need-based voluntary

counselling tests through voluntary organisations, legal-aid

provisions, simplification of procedure for mandatory registration

of marriages, rights of children, family members and attendants of

patients living with HIV/AIDS, military policy, insurance, sections

375 and 377 of the IPC, sex education for children below 12 years

after parental consent for prevention of sexual abuses, divorce,

maintenance, woman's victimisation, rape, bail, notifications-

registration of HIV-AIDS victims and others

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