Continuing stigma and neglect of OVC issues

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

The reality that OVCs are a neglected group in the HIV response is widely

acknowledged. With no national guidelines on protecting and promoting the rights

of children affected by HIV and AIDS, news repors like the one below are going

to continue to shame all concerned citizens, particularly AIDS activists and

organisations working on child rights.

_____________________

AIDS fear keeps students away from Latur school

Wed, Jul 8 12:59 PM

Latur (Maha), Jul 8 (PTI) More than half of the students of a government school

here are not attending classes as their parents and guardians fear they may

contract HIV/AIDS as some children affected by the disease are also studying

there. The Zilla Parishad (ZP) school at Hasegaon village in this Central

Maharashtra district is flooded with requests by parents for transfer

certificate (TC).

According to local sources, an ashram, managed by NGO Ahmi Sevak, is being run

in the village where orphans, HIV positive and AIDS-affected children are

residing. Ten students from this ashram, Sewalaya, are studying in the ZP

school.

Since the last few days, there are rumours in the village that if anybody dines

or plays with the HIV/AIDS patients, he/she may also get affected. After these

rumours spread, parents of many children applied to the Headmaster for TC. When

contacted, Headmaster Dharmraj Sathe said, " We will give admission to as many

AIDS affected children as we can because we know AIDS does not spread by dining

or playing together.

" We are trying our best to clear the doubts and misconceptions about the disease

but the adamant wards and parents are in no mood to listen to us. The reason for

TC mentioned by the parents is not justified and as such I am not going to issue

TC on this ground, " he said.

_________________