Inauguration of WE shop by Honorable minister for Labour Mr. Fernandez in New Delhi on the eve of World AIDS Day 2008

[Guest guest]

Inauguration of WE shop by Honorable minister for Labour Mr. Fernandez in

New Delhi on the eve of World AIDS Day 2008

Honorable Minister for Labour Mr. Fernandez inaugurated WE shop (Women

Empowered) during the World AIDS Day event and National consultation of Women

living with HIV AIDS organized by Positive Women Network (PWN+) in New Delhi on

December 1st, 2008.

‘WE Shop’, is a new income generation initiative and its part of the Women and

Wealth Project jointly implemented by PWN+, Sociallight Communications, UNDP –

Regional Center, Colombo and PDA, Thailand.

Honorable Minister stressed that National Council on AIDS headed by the Prime

Minister of India, is giving importance to the issues faced by women living with

HIV AIDS and the parliamentarian forum is committed to address this through HIV

mainstreaming. He also added the quality of life of women living with HIV AIDS

can be seen only when they are socially and economically empowered through

various programs.

Ms. Muthukani, a women living with HIV and the partner of WE shop handed over a

Photo Frame made by women as a gift of gratitude, but the Minister graciously

encouraged the women by paying money to the value of the product and encouraged

the women living with HIV to be more proactive in their business to gain dignity

and live a life free from stigma in the society.

He also added, it would be a criminal offense if we delay to take responsibility

and measures to prevent newborn from HIV. As a beginning to an end, Mr.

Fernandes also launched the signature campaign in preventing young girls and

women from getting infected with HIV AIDS. Later all the 150 women living with

HIV along with Ms. Anne Sten hammer, Regional Director of UNIFEM and Ms. Ananthi

Yuvraj, representative from International Community of Women living with HIV

AIDS pledged their solidarity and commitment to prevent HIV among women.

Ms. Padmaja, Business Manager of Sociallight Communications and Ms. Kousalya

President of PWN+ were of encouragement and support to this new initiative.

Please visit http://picasaweb.google.com/poswonet/PhotosForAIDSINDIAForum

to view the photographs of the event

Media Desk

Positive Women Network

e-mail: <poswonet@...>