Your daily Selection of IRIN Africa PlusNews reports, 1/6/2004

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U N I T E D N A T I O N S

Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

Integrated Regional Information Network

CONTENT:

1 - ETHIOPIA: New film depicts the suffering of women living with HIV

1 - ETHIOPIA: New film depicts the suffering of women living with HIV

ADDIS ABABA, 6 January (PLUSNEWS) - Ethiopia's first-ever film depicting

the real-life tragedy being brought about by HIV/AIDS was broadcast across

the country on Monday. The documentary is a powerful portrayal of the

lives of women in Ethiopia who have become victims of discrimination and

stigma because they are infected with the virus.

" It is a very depressing film, " said Meaza Ashenafi, who heads the

Ethiopian Women's Lawyers Association, after seeing the premiere of Siwir

Enba, or Hidden Tears. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has had a crippling effect on

Ethiopia, where, according to government estimates, some 2.2 million

people are living with HIV.

One in 10 global deaths due to AIDS happens in Ethiopia, and HIV has

orphaned 1 million children there. About 230,000 children have been

infected.

The 45-minute film was first shown to government ministers and campaigners

fighting the virus at a special screening in the capital, Addis Ababa. It

was then broadcast on state television. As yet there are few laws within

Ethiopia's constitution being enforced to protect victims of stigma

prompted by HIV/AIDS, such as those losing their jobs or homes.

" This film showed women who have been stigmatised, " said Gifti Abasiya,

who is the Ethiopian minister of state for women's affairs. " The more we

know about stigma and what is means to women the better we will be able to

fight it, " she told PlusNews after watching the premiere. " The film

reflects the situation of Ethiopian women, economically, socially and

politically, and this is what we have to change. "

Education Minister Genet Zewde said she was considering using the film as

an educational tool in the country’s schools. " This film is very

important, because it shows the damage that we are doing by discriminating

against women who have been infected with the virus. These are real

issues, these are true stories and they depict how traditional and harmful

practices can have a negative effect on the lives of women in this

country, " she said.

Already, some 1,500 copies of the film have been made for distribution

around the country and for use by NGOs fighting the virus.

The film project was sponsored by the government's HIV/AIDS Prevention and

Control Office. The US-backed Centres for Disease Control and Prevention

(CDC) also provided support, along with the Walta Information Centre, an

Ethiopian media outlet.

Tadesse Wuhib, who heads CDC in Ethiopia, described the documentary as a

breakthrough. " This was more than just a film, " he said after the special

screening. " These were real lives we were seeing, and there is nothing

more powerful than true lives and how the virus is affecting them. "

[ENDS]

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