US AIDS funding and prostitutes

[Guest guest]

Pathfinder International Praises Court Ruling on US AIDS Funding Policy

Date: Wednesday, May 10, 2006 Source: Voice of America.Author: Joe De Capua.

DATELINE: Washington

Many US-based AIDS groups that have programs overseas are praising a

judge's decision affecting federal AIDS funding. Federal Judge Victor

Marrero struck down a policy that required the groups to formally

denounce prostitution before being eligible to receive US funds.

The policy was based on a 2003 law that supporters say was designed to curb

risky sexual behavior. However, on Tuesday Judge Marrero ruled the policy

violated free speech rights protected by the US

Constitution.

Among those praising the decision is Dan Pellegrom, president of

Pathfinder International, a non-profit family planning and

reproductive health organization. From Watertown, Massachusetts,

Pellegrom spoke to English to Africa reporter Joe De Capua about how

the policy had affected the organization's programs, including those

in Africa.

He says, " First of all, it's not very smart, we think, to have a

policy that is critical of people that you're perceiv! ed as trying to help.

It's not the way that anybody would do their business. To say that you

disapprove of them and then to proceed to work with them is a problem. And of

course if you're going to do HIV/AIDS work, it's terribly important to do that

work, including prostitution. They're (prostitutes) are a key element in

protecting people, not only themselves, but their clients and their clients'

families from the (HIV) virus. So, it's terribly important to have an unimpeded

kind of relationship with the people that you're working with. And this got in

the way of that. "

Asked if there is a general misunderstanding or misconception about

who becomes a prostitute and why in poor countries, Pellegrom replies, " Sure, I

think that people don't understand often times that the issue for women who

become prostitutes is very often that they're the most destitute people in their

societies. And they're desperate to feed their children. They're desperate to

care for their families! . They resort to prostitution, not because they want to

but because th ey're compelled to. They don't know where else to turn. They're

desperate people very often and to treat them sort of with an ideological

imprint is unfortunate. We should treat them, if you will, I think as victims

and not as culprits. "

<< Voice of America -- 5/10/06 >>

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Joya Banerjee

Program Coordinator

Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS

211 East 43rd Street, Suite 905

New York, NY 10017

1-212-661-6111

1-212-661-1933 (fax)

www.youthaidscoalition.org

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