Originally published April 28 2005
Discrimination making AIDS problem worse, international experts say
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
United Nations officials say that discrimination against people with AIDS and HIV is making the pandemic worse these days. Experts say nearly 40 million people have HIV and that three million were infected just last year. The stigma attached to the virus gives many people reason to avoid testing and treatment, and that, in turn, helps the disease spread, experts say. Addressing the discrimination issues will help curb the virus's spread, they added.
Human Rights and HIV/AIDS experts say the discrimination and stigmatization of people infected with HIV/AIDS is worsening the global pandemic.
They say one of the keys to fighting HIV/AIDS lies in addressing violations of rights of those who are infected.
The United Nations estimates nearly 40 million people in the world are living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
More than three million adults and children were newly infected last year.
U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour says the statistics show HIV/AIDS is one of the greatest public health problems the world faces.
"What the figures, of course, do not reveal is the actual stories, the countless individual stories of the many indignities that are visited upon people, whose rights are denied as a result of their HIV status,� she said.
HIV-positive men and women living in poverty, without basic health services, or access to adequate prevention, treatment or care."
Arbour says people infected with HIV suffer from all sorts of discrimination.
She says they are marginalized, and stigmatization makes them fearful of coming forward and seeking help.
He says women and girls make up almost 57 percent of all people infected.
Mr. Sidibe tells of meeting a 14-year-old girl in northern Uganda, who was abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army.
He says she was repeatedly raped, became pregnant and HIV-positive.
He says she was rejected by her family, her community and friends.
She was not allowed to continue school.
She is a double victim, of violence against women and discrimination and stigmatization against people living with HIV/AIDS," he noted.
The activists warn abstinence-only programs are not effective and often keep people from getting life-saving information, such as the use of condoms to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS.
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