Women living with HIV in Delhi driven to a life of poverty

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Hundreds of women living with HIV in Delhi are being driven to a life of poverty

because of stigma, discrimination and a lack of basic human rights says the

Delhi Mahila Samithi – the State Women Forum of Delhi Network of Positive

People –today (Sunday 8th March).

To mark International Women’s Day, the network is calling on the Delhi State

Aids Control Society to take concrete action and tackle the roots of inequity

and fear which underpins their lives.

 

Over two decades since the first HIV case in India, women and their children

living with HIV are still being denied their basic human rights day in day out.

Stigma and discrimination remains rife in health, educational and social

institutes and women are outcast and isolated by their families and society. As

a result of this, many are left without financial or emotional support and no

roof over their head, which leaves them struggling to survive.

Sonadevi aged 25 describes the stigma and discrimination her husband and son

faced in hospital and how own family have disowned her; “I admitted my son to

hospital as he was not feeling well. When they found out he was HIV+, people

just stood around and stared at him.

They would not even change the sheets as they were worried they would be

infected. My husband was also really ill but no-one would give him medication or

touch him. He has now passed away and I have been thrown out of the family.

Rekha explains how her husband was not even given a proper burial because of the

ignorance and fear surrounding the illness; “At his funeral people even

refused to cremate him because they were worried they would catch the virus.â€

To tackle these issues and alleviate the burden of suffering on women living

with HIV in Delhi, the Delhi Mahila Samiti calls for empowerment through:

Government funded income generation programs so women can sustain themselves

Better communication about services and schemes in Delhi to support WLHIV

Women allowed to stay in the marital home once their spouses have died and

allowed to access their property rights. Shelter should be provided if they are

made homeless.

A mass mobilisation campaign with friendly information to women and girls to

tackle stigma and discrimination

Women and their children provided with nutritional support to ensure physical

health

President of the Delhi Mahila Samithi, Celina says: “As women living with HIV,

we have a mountain to climb to grasp our human rights.. Stigma and

discrimination remains endemic and imbedded in others own ignorance and fear.

With rates of infection amongst women rising, failure to address these

injustices will plunge many more women into poverty and despair.

As women living with HIV we have come out of the shadows to speak out loud and

clear. These voices must surely be heard.

For more information please contact Celina d Costa on

delhimahila.samiti@... or call 9868745925

About Delhi Mahila Samithi:

Delhi Mahili Samithi (DMS) is the State Women Forum of Delhi Network of Positive

People. It was formed in June 2008 and already has 50 members. The DMS's mission

is 'to improve the quality of life of women and children living with HIV in

Delhi and to reduce the vulnerability of women, girls and children to HIV

transmission.'

DMS is currently operating a Drop in Centre (DIC) for women living with HIV/AIDS

(WLHIV) at Lado Sari, South Delhi, supported by the Delhi State AIDS Control

Society (DSACS). DMS provides counselling, peer support, referral services,

information on living with HIV and outreach to WLHIV as well as a monthly

support group meeting for WLHIV. It also provides advocacy and networking

support to address the key issues faced by women living with HIV in Delhi.

Delhi Mahila Samiti

E-MAIL:<delhimahila.samiti@...>