A call for Opinion and Action towards Stigma Free Human Society.

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum Members,

From 1999 I have become familiar with the word Stigma and

Discrimination in Real Life after detection of own HIV positive

status.

Till then I was involved in different Local, National and Regional

People Living with HIV Groups and taken part in many different

initiatives and trainings supported by Govt., different UN

Organizations and other INGOs and NGOs, which gave me the

opportunity to learn about the National/International Policies

regarding HIV/AIDS and Human Rights for proper execution of

different Awareness, Prevention and Care/Support Programmes with the

help of huge quantity of financial allotments from different sources

using HIV positives (GIPA- Greater Involvement of People living with

HIV).

Today, a lot of programmes have initiated and implementing from

which I am experiencing specially a Gender Specific Stigma in a new

shape.

Although due to different policies discrimination is little bit low

with the increasing wave of Stigma.

For example, which I am observing and experiencing in West Bengal,

from 1st December, World Aids Day 2004, the theme of Empowerment of

Women for Awareness and Prevention through Buladi Campaign in Public

and in Mass Media. What I found in almost all dialogues and

expressions enriching AIDS Panic and a direct blame towards Male

Gender. May I take the privilege ask the programme executors about

the Policies and Human Rights Violations we learnt from them? From

where almost all the Male Gender got the Virus? Is it from the Same

Gender? Likely, the ongoing publicity about the Truck

drivers/Helpers and Migrant Workers.

May I ask who has given the Right to anybody to stigmatize any

particular community living in the same society with

their families? How the untrained people/organizations performing

Street Dramas and other Awareness initiatives with their own

imaginary dialogues, which is increasing Stigma, Shame, Fear and

Panic in the society.

As we had been trained first as per policy, the word HIV should

focus instead of the word AIDS and not to blame any Gender or

Community in terms of Aware and Prevention.

Still now, all of us related with the field of HIV/AIDS, know and

say about the almost negative Political Will, which is the main

barrier to fight HIV/AIDS in India with zero Human Value for the

Prevention through proper Care.

I think me a lucky person that getting 2nd line HARRT from a

foreigner free of cost, who never provoked or compelled me to attend

any meeting or media for the shake of his own initiative, which I

never experienced previously to get any type of support from

different organizations and have seen many researches without

informed consent or without legal benefits by the name of free

treatment support (like CD4 test etc.) except Govt. Hospitals, where

we visit Doctors for our regular treatment without ongoing proper

counseling support.

Last of all I would like to request my own community to be Human in

their thoughts and actions avoiding their own policy of Isolation to

any Human Being Living with HIV even in Jail, leaving their Self-

interest and Donors fear as today in the days of unemployment Living

with HIV has become the only qualification to get a job in HIV/AIDS

Projects! Try to remember the Spirit of our great friend Late Ashoke

Pillai.

Wish you all a very Happy, Healthy and Human New Year 2006.

With Solidarity.

Snehansu Bhaduri.

49/A/1,B.P.Dey Street.

Serampore, Hooghly.

West Bengal.

Pin-712201.Ph-33-26521519

Mobile- 9830889733

E-mail: <raja66@...>