Standing together for the rights of People living with HIV/AIDS

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

India has a population of one billion, around half of whom are adults in the

sexually active age group. Right to life has been guaranteed by the Indian

Constitution to each and every citizen of India. Right to life not only includes

the right to live with dignity but also the right to live without fear and

discrimination.

Despite the many positive developments in securing the rights of People living

with HIV/AIDS, the prevalent stigma continues to be embedded in the social

system in many parts of India including Rajasthan, denying the majority of

people the choice to decide how they live.

The over-riding importance of institutions in this social system ensures that

these people rarely have an independent say at all institutional level like

family, community, State and market

In such scenario, Rajasthan Network for People Living with HIV/AIDS (RNP+) stood

as a community based organization registered under the society act of Rajasthan

1958 on September 16, 2002, with the mission to fight against HIV/AIDS and

support the government in reaching to people living with HIV/AIDS. It has been

formed exclusively to address the needs of positive persons in the state and

mobilize positive persons to reveal their status and advocate for their rights

collectively as a network.

The Activities are Networking Building Service Delivery Referrals, Counseling,

Psycho- Socio Support, Linkages with Government and Non Government, CSO,

Volunteers, like minded organizations and individuals, Positive / Motivational

speaking, Capacity building etc.

The worst affected among the people living with HIV/AIDS are the women and

children who are even more vulnerable among the vulnarables. Unknowingly and

unintentionally they get infected or affected by HIV/AIDS. Children are called

as the future of the nation but the statement appears to be futile when we

consider the Children living with HIV/AIDS and their plight which needs to be

heard by the government.

As per the data given by National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) by 2010

78,149 children have been registered with ART centers across India.

In Rajasthan 1,827 children were registered among whom only 544 are on 1st line

ART. Since 2007, 59 children have died due to lack of further medication. In

past three years the country has lost, 1,766 children due to HIV/AIDS. Though

the official records gives such data about the registered children, but in

reality it is sure that the number must be much higher. Since the culture of

silence is so evident, many cases go unreported and unheard.

The efforts done by the government of Rajasthan are highly appreciable in this

regard. There are a number of schemes in Rajasthan for the welfare of PLHIVs.

The major schemes provided by the Government of Rajasthan are:

Providing concession to PLHIVs to travel in State owned public transport

Enrolling PLHIV as BPL individual for having full access to medical treatment

Relaxing the minimum age limit for eligibility of Widow pension scheme

Enrolling the guardians of children affected with HIV under Palanhar Scheme and

relaxing the upper limit of two children to all the children

Subsidized ration under Antyodaya Scheme

Provision of blood without replacement donor

Though we have reached so far but there is a long way to go and apparently the

Government has now brought a standstill to the progress that needs to be done.

In this regard, the leading activists from ¡¥Rajasthan Network for People Living

with HIV/AIDS¡¦ and ¡¥Positive Mothers Association¡¦ have started an advocacy

campaign in order to sensitize the State as well as the Central Government to

bring more provisions and a Central policy for the welfare of people living with

HIV/AIDS, with special focus to women and children.

This campaign is driven towards bringing the concern of the Government to the

leaking points in the current schemes and opens their eyes for the same.

As a part of the campaign, the activists, Mr Brijesh Dubey, Ms Gajraj, Ms Mona

Balani, Mr Purushottam Jat, Ms Puja Gujar, Mr Shiv Kumar Gujar, Mr Snehanshu

Bhaduri will be sitting for a silent display along with the members of Positive

Mothers Association and support of 32 District Level Networks all across

Rajasthan will come together for a ¡§Silent Display¡¨ for ¡¥Thanks giving¡¦ to

the State Government for their efforts and further put some demands, on February

9, 2011 at Udhyog Maidan, Statue Circle, Infront of Birla Auditorium, Jaipur.

This will be followed by a Thanks giving and a memorandum of demands to the

Honorable Chief Minister on February 10 2011.

There are certain demands that we have for ensuring the welfare of Women and

Children Living with HIV/AIDS.

The Charter of Demand includes:

1. Introducing the second line ART in Rajasthan for the children who have

completed the first line ART and are ready for the next step.

2. Formation and Activation of a committee that will examine the Policy related

to Women Living with HIV/AIDS by RNP+ and submitted to State Government and

Table the policy further at Central level

3. Formation of a corpus fund at Central level or allocation of some percentage

from Prime Minister¡¦s Relief Fund for the usage of Children and Women living

with HIV/AIDS for emergency purposes.

4. Replication of the best practices followed in Rajasthan to all over India and

table the HIV AIDS Bill that is pending since past five years.

5. Abolish the Free Trade Association, as it will lead to inaccessibility of

common person to the medicinal facility

This will be a silent display of the demands that we have for women and children

from the State and the Central Government. We expect the Government to be

sensitive enough and take the demands seriously for the welfare of People living

with HIV/AIDS as it has been doing before.

Thanking you,

In solidarity,

Snehansu Bhaduri

e-mail: <snehansu.bhaduri@...>