National Advocacy Programme for Widows Living with HIV and AIDS

[Guest guest]

Dear Friends,

Greetings from Positive Women Network (PWN+)!

On the 6th August 08, PWN+ held a National Level Programme in

Delhi `To Address the Rights and Entitlements of Widows Living with

HIV and AIDS in India' through a `Review of Widow Pension and Widow

Remarriage Schemes'. This Programme is a part of the ongoing focus

of PWN+ towards increasing the access of WLHA and CIHA/CAHA to

schemes and programmes available to them under 10 Government

departments in the domestic, community, medical, employment,

educational, political, religious and legal spheres. The Network

identifies gaps in existing schemes at both the state and national

levels and then conducts advocacy programmes to lobby for policy

changes that will better meet the needs of WLHA and their families.

Attendees:

Dr. Kiran Chadha, Joint Secretary-National Department for Women and

Child Development attended this Programme as Honorary Guest and the

Panel Guests included the Joint Secretary from NACO, Mr. Praveen

Krishna, and the Project Director from DSACS, Mr. B.S. Banerjee. The

Programme was further supported by other NGOs and Organisations who

participated in discussion.

Programme Objectives:

• Ensure that the Government takes steps to fulfil the commitments made in NACP

III to mainstream HIV and AIDS in their policies, schemes and programs.

• Ensure that PWN+ own experiences at the District and State Level will

influence national policy and that policy changes at the national level will

guide district and state level policy and regularise benefit entitlements for

WLHA.

• And ensure that WLHA will have better access to policies and

programmes that are suited to their identified needs.

PWN+ advocates for amendments in National Policy to ensure that Widow

Pension at the State Level will meet the needs and circumstances of

HIV+ widows in India.

PWN+ advocates for the Widow Remarriage Scheme presently available at

the State Level in Tamil Nadu, to be considered as a Scheme for

National Level Policy. Furthermore, PWN+ advocates that the

eligibility of this Scheme for widows be reconsidered to enhance the

benefits it may bring to HIV+ widows throughout all States in India.

Programme Dialogue:

PWN+ members from 8 States relayed their experiences and difficulties

in accessing the Widow Pension, including lack of required

documentation such as ration cards and husbands' death certificates,

and further noted the extreme inconsistency of the Pension allowance

between states- ranging from 500Rs in Delhi to just 110Rs in Kerala,

which does not meet the most basic needs of these widowed women.

Further presentation was made by Tamil Nadu PWN+ representatives on

the Widow Remarriage Scheme available from their State Government and

the benefits this allowance could bring to widows. Recommendations

and commitments were then made by the Panel.

Programme Outcomes:

Mr. Kiran Chadha, National Department for Women and Child Development:

• Commitment to speak with Ministers at the next Women and

Child Development meeting about the Widow Remarriage Scheme and the

problems surrounding eligibility.

• Pursuance of a ,new wing' in the Women and Child Development

Department that will focus on HIV and AIDS issues/cases.

Mr. Praveen Krishna, NACO:

• Recommendation to NACO that there should be reconsideration

of the Widow Pension Scheme, based on the information he has heard at

this PWN+ National Programme.

• Support the establishment of a drop in centre in Delhi,

initiative to be completed within one week.

• Formation of a National decentralised chain to listen

to/observe the grievances of PLHA and make appropriate

recommendations to the Government on how to address these issues.

• Establishment of a `drop in morning' at NACO for PLHA, where

they can speak with NACO officials on issues they are facing.

Mr. B.S. Banerjee, DSACS:

• Establishment of a DSACS `cell' where PLHA can come and

complete forms, submit them and gain access to schemes.

• Further research into the situation in Manipur in regard to

the lack of a Widow Pension- potentially work towards the

establishment of a drop in centre in this State.

• Establishment of a `drop in morning' at NACO for PLHA, where

they can speak with NACO officials on issues they are facing.

• Further dialogue with DPWN+ regarding the drop in centre,

within one week.

If you would like to see the Position Paper from this Programme

and/or the complete documentation, then please do not hesitate to

contact us at: dpwnplus@...

DPWN Plus " <dpwnplus@...>

Sunanda PWN+

Delhi Network

e-mail: <dpwnplus@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

Re: /message/9171

Addressing the special needs of WLHA is a very pertinent issue.

I have seen that most of the female PLHA were innocent unsuspecting housewives

who got infection from husbands. After husbands deaths, in laws family disowned

them and refused their legimiate share of property. It is only their mothers,

brother who provided them shelter and assisted access to ART.

We would like more inputs on the gender specific problems faced by the

positive women and widows. We would be glad to see the position paper and join

the advocacy effort.

--

Dr RK Sood

FETP Scholar (NIE, Chennai)

drrksood@...

+91 9418064077, +91 9445157327

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

 

Re: /message/9171

This is the reality witness to understand HIV vs Socio-cultural and economic

impacts. The Government authorities and policy makers should realise with

empathetically and take a speedy action related to this.

 

In Tamil Nadu Project Concern International(PCI/India) has been taking lot of

efforts to  address these issues to the Government Authorities and it is

succeeded.  In PCI/Salem most of our widow members have been provided this

social support benefit but still lot of grass root level awareness and advocacy

to be done among Revenue Inspectors, Village Administrative Officers (VAO) and

Thalisldhars in order to understand the reality against the existing policies of

this welfare schemes.

So, the role of Social Welfare Department and Revenue Department officials to be

given proper orientation and the policy should be changed as per the present

scenario and the eligibility criteria to avail this schemes should be modified

according to the HIV/AIDS needs.

 

Similarly lot of unutilised schemes are available in the Government Departments

if the NGOs, CBOs and Positive Networks work together and it will be possible to

create a positive atmosphere for the better benefit of our PLHAs without any

hurdles. 

 

So, we need to work together and create an enabling situation in order to

improve the quality with dignity of lives of PLHAs.

 

Regards,

 

In solidarity,

 

A. Gnanasekar

Training Officer,

Project Concern International PCI/India,

Salem.

09443201035

e-mail: <gnanasekar@...>