Events for 1st December: Symposium on Violence Faced by Women Living with HIV & AIDS

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Greetings from Bengal Network for People Living with HIV & AIDS (BNP+) which is

an affiliated body of INP+.

It has been long since we all heard about HIV & AIDS. India has slowly occupied

the first position in the world in terms of highest number of HIV+ people in the

country. In spite of the growing numbers, we still are lagging behind the world

in terms of understanding HIV & AIDS and the rights of the people who are living

through it.

The government and the society has not realized that HIV & AIDS is a condition

of life that we have come to possess due to lack of awareness. However as we

need awareness to prevent it further, we also need to look at the people who are

already infected. Life has not come to a standstill with the HIV & AIDS for most

of us. However life has become a pain with the distrust, negligence and violence

that people throw at us. Excommunication, neglect, torture have become our

everyday life. And the government does not look at all these. Even treatment

facilities are yet not available to most of us.

In spite of many promises at the national and the international level, the

government of India and West Bengal has time and again failed to provide testing

and treatment facility at the district level.

In order to address the situation and raise our voice against the injustice,

BNP+ a network of People Living with HIV & AIDS (PLHAs) in West Bengal has come

to organize an advocacy campaign in Kolkata on 1st and 2nd December. As part of

the campaign Kolkata will witness various events on the above two dates. We want

the media to help us reach to the millions and create valuable public opinion to

help us draw the support of the society and the government. To share our ideas

we cordially invite you to a Press Conference on 24.11.06 at the Kolkata Press

Club, Main Seminar Hall.

Our two days programmes(1st and 2nd December) are like this:-

1st December, 2006

Venue: Rotary Sadan (near Birla Planetarium on J.L. Nehru Road)

Time: 9:00 AM onwards

Events: Inaugural Session and Welcome Address

Rock Concert

Symposium on Violence Faced by Women Living with HIV & AIDS

Rally by PLHAs and All invited

2nd December

Venue: STAR Theatre (Hati Bagan Crossing)

Time: 11:30 AM onwards

Film Festival on Rights of People and Women Affected by HIV & AIDS

1. ‘My Brother Nikhil’

2. ‘Phir Milenge’

3. Short Film on Violence Against Women and HIV & AIDS

For this full programme Action Aid India, Kolkata Regional Office is supporting

us. We are greatful to them.

Expecting your kind presence in solidarity with the PLHAs in West Bengal,

Sincerely Yours,

Tarit Chakraborty,

Tarit Chakraborty

Regional Co-ordinatore(INP+)

President of BNP+(West Bengal)

email: tarit34@...

Hallo-09836258928