Ambitious project on preventing AIDS in women launched

[Guest guest]

Ambitious project on preventing AIDS in women to be launched

New Delhi: A unique and ambitious AIDS prevention and care project

titled 'Prevention of Trafficking and HIV/AIDS in Women and Girls'

(TAHA) is being launched here on August 22 jointly by the United

Nations Development Programme(UNDP), National Aids Control

Organisation(NACO) and Department of Women and Child Development

(DWCD) of the Government with support from Department for

International Development (DfID).

The launch will be followed by a day-long sensitization cum

orientation workshop on trafficking and HIV in which a large number

of policy makers, representatives of the Centre and state Govts, UN

representatives, eminent experts, national level NGOs and

individuals from networks of trafficked survivors and people

affected with HIV/AIDS will participate.

The workshop will also focus on formulating strategies to strengthen

partnerships with media, law enforcement agencies and legal groups.

The project is being launched in view of the fact that an estimated

5.1 million people are living with HIV in India, needing immediate

attention to the root causes that heighten the vulnerability of

women and girls to trafficking and HIV. These are mediated by the

same set of factors such as poverty, gender discrimination and

unsafe mobility.

Trafficking in human for profit and exploitation is the largest form

of illegal trade after drugs and arms trafficking. It is a fast

rising inter-state and trans-boarder issue. Contextually, India is a

source, transit and destination point for trafficked women and

children in the region. Trafficked persons' vulnerability to

contracting HIV is heightened in the atmosphere of exploitation and

denial of basic rights and services.

The workshop will provide an opportunity to discuss the various

issues of trafficking and HIV especially in the context of gender

and human rights.

Among the key speakers at the inaugural session will be Ms. Reva

Nayyar, Secretary, Department of Women and Child Development, Dr.

S.Y. Quraishi, Special Secretary and Director General, National AIDS

Control Organisation, and Dr Maxine Olson, UN Resident Co-ordinator.

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