Bangkok Declaration by People Living with HIV/AIDS in Asia Pacific

[Guest guest]

Bangkok, July 13: People Living with HIV/AIDS in the Asia Pacific

region today unveiled the " Bangkok Declaration " a powerful

charter of demands that urges national governments, political

parties, UN, bi and multilateral organisations and others to

initiate immediate and concrete steps of empowerment so that their

involvement in the responses to the epidemic can be meaningful.

" Without the well-being and empowerment of PLWHA, Greater

involvement of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GIPA) can only be a pipe

dream, " they said. They called for specific action in areas such

as policy and decision making, access to treatment and support

services, and social and economic empowerment.

At a press conference at the 15th International AIDS Conference

currently underway here, Ms. Tuberi, a person living with HIV/AIDS

from Fiji and representative of the Asia Pacific Network of People

Living with HIV/AIDS (APN+) said the Declaration was the collective

voice of 7.4 million people living with HIV/AIDS in the region. It

was a poignant reminder to the world that though ten years have

passed since world leaders ratified GIPA principles at the Paris

AIDS Summit in 1994, people living with HIV/AIDS lived in extremely

disempowering conditions.

The Declaration was issued by the Second Asia Pacific Congress, held

here prior to the AIDS Conference, in which more than 100 PLWHA

leaders from all parts of the region participated. It demanded more

inclusion of PLWHA in policy and decision making, universal

availability of counselling and treatment services including ARV,

legal reforms and supportive laws, social security measures and

livelihood support for people affected by HIV, particularly women

and children, and more allocation of funds for treatment and other

issues faced by PLWHA.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Zepherin Diabre, Associate

Administrator, UNDP, appealed to Governments and others in the Asia

Pacific region to take the issues raised by the Bangkok Declaration

seriously and act decisively. " It has generated the momentum

– we cannot lose time in taking it forward, " he said. The

declaration is an encouraging sign wherein people living with

HIV/AIDS are demanding their rightful role in prevention and care

efforts.

Mr. Diabre also announced UNDP's support to strengthening the

Asia Pacific HIV and Human Development Resource Network, a New Delhi

based PLWHA initiative coordinated by INP+, Indian Network for

People Living with HIV/AIDS (INP+). Designed as a self-sustainable

model, the network will provide state of the art information and

services to all HIV/AIDS stakeholders in the region. The resources

raised by the organization will go towards supporting the needs of

PLWHA in the region.

" People living with HIV have demonstrated bold leadership at all

levels since the beginning of the AIDS epidemic, " said Dr.

Piot, Executive Director, UNAIDS. " The stigma surrounding HIV

remains one of the major obstacles in expanding access to HIV

prevention and treatment in the developing world. Now, more than

ever, political leaders can effectively combat stigma by actively

engaging HIV-positive people in the fight against AIDS. "

Dr Jack C. Chow, WHO's Assistant Director-General, HIV/AIDS,

Tuberculosis and Malaria, said " with HIV/AIDS growing in Asia,

the direct involvement of communities across Asia is critical in

accelerating both prevention and treatment. " There is growing

evidence that ready access to voluntary counseling and testing, ART

and primary health care all help to overcome fear among people

living with HIV/AIDS and help dispel the stigma and discrimination

often aimed against them. Furthermore, strong community and family

support can dramatically boost adherence to medical regimens,

thereby extending lifespans and enhancing the quality of their

lives, he added.

The press conference was organized by Asia Pacific PLWHA Resource

Centre (APRC), APN+, and INP+ with support from UNDP and Global

Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (GNP+). Mr. K. K.Abraham,

President, INP+; Shiba Phurailatpam, APPRC Coordinator; Stuart

Flavell, Coordinator, GNP+;and Dy Many, Member CPN+, Cambodia spoke

on the occasion.

For more information please contact Mr. Shiba Phurailatpam, at

shiba.p@... or G. Pramod Kumar, Senior Advocacy and

Communications Officer, UNDP Regional HIV and Development Programme

at pramod.kumar@...