30.05.2008
Kyiv
HIV/AIDS and Human Rights – from declarations to action
UNDP in Ukraine held a press-conference which presented a report “Assessing vulnerability of people living with HIV (PLWH) in Ukraine” and manual “Challenge and Response: HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in Ukraine”, which is dedicated to Human rights obeying during epidemics control campaigns in all life spheres.
Kyiv, 30 May 2008: Report “Assessing vulnerability of people living with HIV (PLWH) in Ukraine” presented at the conference consists of results of research initiated and financed by the Regional UNDP center for Europe and CIS. This research mainly deals with access to medical treatment, education and employment.
Regional Advisor on HIV/AIDS Dudley TARLTON reminded about the UNDP mission and noted that this leading agency is deeply worried about and is doing its best to stop it. Human rights are very important component and practical implementation of the standards is a ground for success in this area.
As Iryna DUBININA, deputy Director of Social Services for Youth noted that the lack of a single vision on epidemics fighting in all of the partners, which are enrolled in the HIV field interferes with the effective epidemics control.
Director of department of pre-school and secondary education of the Ministry of Education of Ukraine Oleg YERESKO stressed that HIV problem is related to many sectors: “our society understands the main factor for sovling this problem. This is first of all unification of forces”. He noted that a Coordination Committee functions since 2004, which consists of Ministry of Education, UN structures (UNDP, UNAIDS), International AIDS Alliance and NGOs.
Ministry of Education implemented a number of prevention measures among students of secondary schools: in 1-4 grades a “Useful habits” course has been implemented, which popularizes healthy living among teen-agers, in 5-9 grades – mandatory course “Basics of health” and in 10-11 grades – course “School against AIDS”. “Fear of HIV is generated by the absence of knowledge, that’s why educational work should be conducted not only with students, but with parents also,” – said presenter.
Olga ZHMURKO, Project Manager of International institute of sociology, which conducted this research stressed that particularly questions of access to medical services, educationa and employment were accentuated. The main findings in these areas are.
In the medical services: ignorance and fear of HIV/AIDS among medical workers; discrimination of PLWH in medical services and Personal barriers to obtaining professional medical care. In the sphere of education: Problems with enrolment of children to educational institutions; hostile and discriminatory attitude to HIV positive children. Reasons of PLWH’s vulnerability in education field are the next: insufficient information and social stereotypes concerning HIV/AIDS; imperfect legal support. In the sphere of jobs and the system of employment: violation of the right to HIV status nondisclosure; biased attitude to HIV positive employees; PLWH’s inactivity in protection of their rights.
Yuriy DEHTIARENKO, head of the legal department of the National Network of PLH addressed the audience: “Today there is a growing need in legal services to people, since rights protection and advocacy is our main function.”
Second part of the conference was devoted to presentation of handbook “Challenge and Response: HIV/AIDS and Human Rights in Ukraine”. This manual was prepared by the authors, which are acknowledged professionals, scientists, activists of the NGOs, UN Representatives, specialists in different from different regions of Ukraine and other countries.
Handbook was published as part of the “Governance in HIV/AIDS”, which is implemented by UNDP support by UN HIV/AIDS Programme. “The UN system in Ukraine is a committed partner of the Government of Ukraine in its effort to respond to the disease in every sector, but awareness raising on human rights dimension of the disease, is of special importance”, - said in the foreword UN Resident Coordinator in Ukraine Francis O’Donnell. UN Advisor on human rights Alan SKURBATY stressed, that “international laws on human rights offers PHL an effective mechanism for support and to any professional and government official an answer to an HIV pandemics in Ukraine”.
All present at the conference were offered a booklet, prepared by project “Governance in HIV/AIDS” UNDP supported by Swedish agency for international development SIDA “Your behavior – your future”. UNDP is implementing this project together with 2 UN agencies: UNICEF and UNFPA. This informational publication is aimed at youth aged 15 to 27 and addresses to them in their language: booklet offers photos and interviews with young people on HIV prevention and thoughts of popular among youth pop stars: Ani Lorak, Sviatoslav Vakarchuk, Liliya Podkopaieva, Sergiy Grygorovych, Vasyl Vasyltsiv, Andriy Danylko and Mariyka Burmaka.
“We all are born by God’s spark and all equally have a right to live in this world. There is no reason whatsoever to divide people into different camps. We have to learn to give hands to each other.” (Sviatoslav VAKARCHUK, singer, United Nations Development Programme Goodwill Ambassador for Youth in Ukraine 2005 - 2007 )
“HIV is not transferred via friendship, warm words … noone is secure from illness and problems, but if it is happening, our attitude is how much we are human” (Ani LORAK, singer, United Nations Goodwill Ambassador on HIV/AIDS in Ukraine 2004-2005)
“Respect, love and attention are needed by all of us, irrelevant of HIV-status” (Mariyka BURMAKA, singer).
For more information, please, call the project's Communications Officer, Oksana Skytalinska, oksana.skytalinska@undp.org.ua at +38 044499-11-74, Governance of HIV/AIDS Project
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