National level Public Hearing on Women & Children with HIV at DELHI on 15th Nov-07

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Greetings from Positive Women Network (PWN+)PWN+ is going to conduct a National

Level Public Hearing at Delh on 15th November -07.

We are inviting the Organizations working for HumanRights and the

Networks of Women and Children Living with HIV/AIDS to join their

Hands and to raise the voice of PLWHA.

· The programme confirmed on November 15.

· Ms. Malini Battacharya,-National Commission For Women,

· Ms. Sujatha Rao - DG, NACO,

· Ms. Sandhya Bajaj – National Commission For Child Protection,

· and a Judge of Supreme Court

· UNAIDS accepted to give physical support for this Event.

· UNIFEM provided their Solidarity.

'International HIV/AIDS Alliance' in India is also a

participant.

· VSO given their support and solidarity for the Event.

· CFAR- for Documentation.

The Concept Note of the Event is given below:

National Public hearing for women and children living with HIV in

Health Care Settings

PWN+ is organizing a National Public Hearing for women and Children

living with HIV in the health care settings. This will be organized

at New Delhi. The purpose of the public hearing is to create

awareness among government high officials regarding the current gaps

in the existing health systems and health care discrimination against

Women Living with HIV/AIDS and children living with HIV and

facilitate a positive response towards the issue.

In 2003, PWN+ along with Center for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) and

with support from UNIFEM had undertaken a research study, Positive

Speaking based on the CEDAW framework. From the study, public

hearings were organized in three states which emphasized to the

Government the need to address stigma and discrimination in the

health care sector. But with the issue needing a response from the

National Government due to its severity, there emerges a vital need

to organize such a hearing at the National level.

The Hearing will be Half-day national meeting in which WLHA will

share the Discrimination they have faced in Health Care settings.

Participants would be from various sectors-PLWHA Networks, Govt

agencies including National Human rights Commission, NACO, UN

agencies, Human Rights Agencies, Medical Professional organizations,

etc.

This Public hearing is supported by the Canadian Embassy, New Delhi.

The voices and concerns of women and children from 8 states namely

Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat ,West Bengal, Rajasthan, Manipur, Uttar

Pradesh, Bihar and Assam where issues of stigma and discrimination

has already been reported, will be represented at the public hearing.

We have documented 21 case studies from the states from the women

living with HIV/AIDS, who have faced stigma and discrimination in the

health care sector. Out of this from each State, we have identified

3 case studies of women and children who will share their experience

of stigma and discrimination in the health care settings including

the current gaps in the health systems in the government sector.

The criteria for the selection of the case studies was that the woman or the

child should have faced discrimination recently or have

experienced gaps to access the existing health care services. To make

this process meaningful, we have also interacted with the health care

providers from these States to learn about their concerns and

insights.

The purpose of the project is to sensitize decision makers, senior

administrators regarding the existence of discrimination in the health care

settings against women and children living with HIV, including highlighting the

current gaps in the health care system and facilitate a positive response

towards the issue.

While our previous efforts at the State level generated effective

responses in the States of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala in 2004,

now there is a growing need for evoking a National response.

At the Public Hearing, we will choose one woman from each State to

depose before the jury and present her testimony. We will present the

findings from the study, especially the feedback from the health care

providers. The Venue of the place will be informed in one or two days.

The PWN+ looks forward to a positive response from you all.

Thanks.

Suseela Anand

e-mail: <suseelaanand@...>