Urgent need for tabling the HIV/AIDS Bill, 2010: Letter to Minister for Law and Justice,

[Guest guest]

To,

Mr. Veerappa Moily,

Minister for Law and Justice,

Shastri Bhawan,

New Delhi

Date 29th March 2010

Imphal

Honourable Minister,

Sub: Urgent need for tabling the HIV/AIDS Bill, 2010

We would like to bring to your notice the HIV/AIDS Bill, 2010, which,

though finalized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in 2006,

is yet to be tabled in Parliament. In 2007, the Bill was submitted to

the Law Ministry and continues to remain with them, waiting to be

tabled. The insensitivity on the part of the Law Ministry, for the

past three years, is unacceptable.

In the last one and a half years, the Law Ministry has released four

drafts of the Bill, each time deleting substantive provisions from the

Bill and going beyond its mandate of ascertaining whether the Bill

falls within the purview of the Indian Constitution and whether it is

legally workable. In November 2009, the Law Ministry sent the Bill to

the Solicitor General of India. The Solicitor General’s draft

reinstated several important provisions and was resent to the Law

Ministry in February 2010. However, it has now come to our knowledge

that the Law Ministry is once again making substantive changes to this

draft, thus going beyond its mandate once again.

This Bill is extremely essential for People Living with HIV (PLHIV)

and those affected by it, who are routinely discriminated against in

various settings. PLHIV are refused admission in hospitals even in

emergency situations, denied employment, children affected by HIV are

removed from schools and are also shunned by their family and

community.

Being primarily an anti-discrimination Bill, it secures and protects

the rights of PLHIV and those vulnerable to it. It includes the rights

to Equality, Confidentiality and Treatment. For the first time, even

the private sector has been brought into the purview of this law,

adding to its significance to people living with and affected by

HIV/AIDS.

In the last one year you have assured us through several press

statements that the Bill would be tabled at the earliest. However, to

our disappointment this much required legislation continues to be

pending with your Ministry and hasn’t been tabled in the Parliament

till date.

This inordinate delay on the part of the Law Ministry is a serious

cause of concern for us. The Bill is the need of the hour for millions

in the country and we cannot afford to delay it any further. We hereby

demand that the Bill, as finalised by the Solicitor General of India,

be tabled without any delay in the ongoing Budget Session of

Parliament, 2010.

Yours Sincerely,

Member of the HIV/AIDS Bill Core Team Member, Manipur Unit

Name Designation Organisation

1. Ms. Wonchung General Secretary CNPWN

2. Ms. Lilly General Secretary ANWPN

3. Mr. Danny President NPM+

4. Mr. L. Deepak President MNP+

5. Mr. Rk Sharat President AASHA

6. Mr. Ranjit Member MARUP LOI FOUNDATION

7. Mr. Y. Shasikumar General Secretary SASO

8. Mr. Augustine Program Manager WORLD VISION INDIA

9. Mr. Open Kumar President CARE FOUNDATION

10. Mr. Dodo Secretary NEIHRN

11. Mr. Bobby Chair Person IDU INP+

12. Mr. Hemanta Staff Lawyers Collective

13. Mrs. Puii, Director SHALOM

14. Mrs. Bimolata, Project Manager Bosco Mangal

15. Mr. A. Surja Kumar General Secretary ISWAR

16. Mr. Jogesh General Secretary URER Manipu

17. Ms. L. Randhoni State Coordinator SAATHI

18. Ms. Lily Kepgin Member SAATHI (PWN)

19. Mr. Ch. Kiran Project Manager Kripa Foundation

20. Mr. Ch, Boy Project Manager Kripa Foundation

21. All Manipur NGO Consortium on HIV/AIDS

22. FINGODAP - Manipur

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