Universal Access to HIV prevention, treatment and care: assessing the inclusion of human rights is the World AIDS Day theme for 2009.
This year’s commemoration is special since it marks the 21st Anniversary of World AIDS Day (WAD). Since 1988 when Health Ministers from around the world gathered to dedicate a special day of solidarity to fight against HIV and AIDS a lot has been achieved. And at the same time, we have to admit that a lot still needs to be done.
On Tuesday, December 1, 2009, the Kingdom of Swaziland will be commemorating the WAD 2009 at the Siteki Sports Ground to renew commitment to the struggle against HIV as well as determination and belief in stopping HIV and AIDS through unity along with rigorous efforts.
This will be a significant event which in itself will be seen to be signifying support of the WAD 2009 objectives by the government and social partners.
This WAD will also be a reminder to all the people of Swaziland that HIV and AIDS is a national challenge, and that there is need to work collectively to reduce the socio-economic devastation brought about by AIDS. As the theme touches on issues of rights and access for every Swazi to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support, it will make all of us remember that many children are orphans because of this disease. It will also remind us of the unacceptable trend of child-headed families that result from this. Labadzala batsi intsandzane lenhle ngumakhotfwa ngunina.
Consequently, mothers are challenged to look after children who have lost parents. While specifying the role of women in this regard, we must hasten to urge all members of communities men, women and youth in different sectors to practise the same towards child-headed families.
The current situation in the country throws a challenge on each and everyone to become a provider in addressing this challenge. Remember that the values of our culture teach us that any child is your child. Everyone should be asking what I am doing to stop the spread of this disease; what assistance am I extending to children who are orphans and child-headed families. In terms of our everyday conduct, it begins with simple things like upholding a message that says ‘orphans’ which means examine yourself to ensure that your actions have a ‘love yourself’ outcome.
Global perspective of the WAD2009 theme
World AIDS Campaign and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS) have come together to announce the theme of ‘Universal Access and Human Rights’ seeing the need to address the critical need to protect human rights and attain access for all to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. The theme in itself also acts as a call to countries to remove laws that discriminate against people living with HIV, women and marginalised groups. The theme challenges countries and also urges them to realise the many commitments they made to protect human rights in the Declaration of Commitment on HIV and AIDS in 2001 and the Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS made in 2006.
Achieving universal access to prevention, treatment, care and support is a human rights imperative as observed by Michel Sidibé, Executive Director of UNAIDS. It is essential that the global response to the AIDS epidemic is grounded in human rights and that discrimination and punitive laws against those most affected by HIV are removed.
Many countries still have laws and policies that impede access to HIV services and criminalise those most vulnerable to HIV. These include laws that criminalise men who have sex with men, trans-gendered people and lesbians; laws that criminalise sex workers; and laws criminalising people who use drugs and the harm reduction measures and substitution therapy they need.
Key documents reveal that 84 countries have reported that they have laws and policies that act as obstacles to effective HIV prevention, treatment, care and support for vulnerable populations.
Governments continue to pass and enforce overly-broad laws that criminalise the transmission of HIV which are in direct contradiction to their commitments to “promote…. a social and legal environment that is supportive of safe and voluntary disclosure of HIV status.”
Some 59 countries still have laws that restrict the entry, stay and residence of people living with HIV based on their positive HIV status only, discriminating against them in their freedom of movement and right to work.
At the same time, laws and regulations protecting people with HIV from discrimination and women from gender inequality and sexual violence are not fully implemented or enforced.
For us in Swaziland the theme ‘…the Human Rights’ is about us, about communities, about people like you and me and our governments to make commitments to honour and respect the dignity of the vulnerable and those already living with HIV.
Source:observer.org.sz/
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