Re: Selection Criteria of GIPA Coordinator in SACS - MIPA Missing

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum

Re: /message/9242

I am glad to see none other than Ashok Row Kavi refer to the debate on

GIPA's as 'disgusting'. Thank you Ashok for standing up for people like my self

who have long wished to join the main stream, but have stayed away only because

as you high lighted " The whole issue of HIV is now becoming an industry for

those who have got into it for the perks " .

From day one, starting with testing to the day I finally took control of the

issue my self NGO's failed me on every count. I was sitting in HIV+ chat rooms 4

days after testing positive on the net for want of basic knowledge as the NGO

that had assisted in testing failed to assist me.

People like my self are willing to step out and assist, but decline coming

forward only because off all the bureaucratic baloney.

Finally HIV + people have to take over the total outreach for positive

people including its prevention and control.

I still have to collect my medicine every month with my 'human rights' violated

with ART centers decorated like an X'mas tree.

Let NGO's raise funds but let it come to a stop there. Those funds then need to

be handed out to networks run exclusively by positive people.

NGO's claim they need highly skilled staff and so must offer salaries equal to

other industries. So be it, I have sat in my city, hob knobbed with the local

network, spoken to representatives from an International Foundation saying that

we should work to peruse goals, but have failed till date to move forward.

I am ex army, have worked in a senior management position for

a multinational, but my failing as I know it is that I am 'clean'. Some one who

will work for the cause not the money. Some one who will question, question,

question, some one who will demand irrefutable results. At the end of the day

it's some ones hard earned money given for a purpose.

The current debate on selection of GIPA's only goes to show how shallow the

position is.

No chance of self asserting focused people like my self need apply because we

would never be permitted to work the way we know we should. After all, what

about all the experts?

And then they call the post " Greater Involvement of People living with

AID's " . Where is the involvement?

The current scale offered is 15000/- add to it the latest Govt hike. What more

can you hope to get other than an 'Anguta Chaap " , well may be Class 3.

The seven figure salaries are reserved for the NGO types, the Goliaths of our

field.

This is my way in establishing the building blocks for my entry into the

mainstream. I know there are others who feel the same way as I do.

I am tired to see organizations claiming undying services provided to positive

people while in reality eating off our plates.

Sincerely

Kumar

e-mail: <kumar.captretd@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Re: /message/9203

Congratulations to Mr.Kumar, You have finally opened this debate to everyone who

cares for the HIV prevention program in India.

Let me clarify my position and where I come from. I am an open homosexual

activist and my background is media and communications. After my coming out i

discovered that was a wrong thing to do as it definately blocked my career

prospects. But that was okay because i finally struggled to find freinds and a

support structure to function as a community based organisation.

Just for your infomration, the Humsafar Trust is one of the few community based

organisation of open middle class homosexuals which has not split or had

internal bickerings that had led to any violent contradictions. Even the

" children' who we have expelled from here are doing very well thank you, despite

them fully accepting their lack of ethics in functioning as responsible

community members.

The Humsafar Trust has now a positive peoples group of a little over 200

homosexuals who are HIV positive. It is called the Safe Sailors Club (SSC) and

also provides to HIV+ women with assistance and urgent referral systems.

We never thought GIPA would be a problem because Humsafar Trust provides a huge

range of services that reach out way beyond HIV related health services. For

example, trauma and sexual distress services; few NGOs seem to be providing them

but we do because that affects the way homosexuals behave and function in our

heteorsexual society.

Health services for HIV+ employees are just ONE of the services that are

necessary. I am surprised that nobody in this country thought of providing

reproductive and sexual heath services for women above 55, for example. Not even

our public hospitals provide services for older people (Gereatric Services)

because this country only does lip service for people who really need help.

In any case, there is nothing special we need to provide HIV+ people that others

don't need. I am a severe diabetic who got TB twice in my life. I have

hypertension and numerous other diseases. I am so frightened of handling those

issues every day that I have not dared to go for HIV testing. Out of my 18 close

gay friends i consider as " family " 15 have already died of AIDS and that is not

because they did not have money but because they were too busy and afraid while

dealing with their sexuality.

So who exaclty is bothered about GIPA?

We at Humsafar are simply because if we don't handle problems of sex,sexuality

and gender, we cannot handle HIV, TB or any other health related issues either.

The human beings I know around me are nothing but primates who do not seem to be

able to consider working together to handle this issue that now confronts us

all.

Let me end with a little story here. We at Humsafar Trust have an in-built human

resources policy that was drafted by our Board of Trustees in 2001 -- everything

being equal, a new applicant for a job gets priority if he is HIV positive. We

have it written in our Hhman Resources Policy in very bold letters if any of you

come and see that a minimum of 20 per cent of our recruits must be HIV+.

Now the joke is that our head of counseling department started laughing at me

for this policy. When I asked her why she was laughing she said: " Sir, why make

such lofty policies. You have now more than 20 per cent staff here who are HIV+.

Only thing is that as chairman you are too bothered about this policy and your

confidentiality clause because everybody here knows how many and who are HIV+ " .

So wittingly or willfully, our policies for supporting our HIV+ gay brothers has

led to our having nearly 50 per cent or more HIV+ staff.

And it is reflecting very much on our functioning because so many are always

sick or not able to report for duty. But we manage because we don't make a big

thing about GIPA.

Our brothers here are just as good or bad as we are because we all are special

people who need help. That is what GIPA is all about.

ly, I don't think we need a network or numbers of people teaching us

anything special to live; we are learning to live like that every day -- and to

die with dignity also in that process!!!

Thank you for reading this

Ashok Row Kavi

e-mail: arowkavi@...

[Guest guest]

Dear Forum,

Re: /message/9274

In 1986, one virus comes in human being and present scenario approx

2.5 million people infected through this virus in India. Previous

experience to control HIV/AIDS epidemic in India support all

stakeholders, civil societies, government and PLHAs network.

On health, social and economical level, PLHAs and their families is

the one directly affected through this HIV/AIDS epidemic. They lossed

their dignity due to stigma and hope of life. PLHA run this journey

under the roof of PLHA network and participation in the prevention of

HIV in India.

In corporate GIPA in national strategy and so many discussions for the

criteria of GIPA coordinator is good sign for the right direction of

the NACP-III programme. GIPA strategy should be supportive for

mainstreaming HIV/AIDS issue in proper manner for reaching at

grassroots level at village. Goal of GIPA " to PLHA enjoy equal rights

and live with dignity and peace with other members of society " .

Same vision Ashok Pillai started PLHA network movement in India with

people living with HIV. We clear believe that movement never die

because of understanding develop due to epidemic always create force

for movement.

Willingness to work for the cause always born by the dedication, this

is seed of network movement because virus directly hitting our life.

GIPA coordinator is the only opportunity for PLHAs for equal

participation in HIV/AIDS programme in India.

Thanks & warm regards,

Naresh Yadav

(President, UPNP+)

Uttar Pradesh

Mb: +91 9415324329

E-mail: labmart@...

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Re: /message/9203

I have been working closely with sexual minorities and sexworkers health and

rights issues for the past 15 years. I am HIV negative and identify myself as a

bisexual/queer.

It would haven been better to ask for certain skills/knowledge (reading, writing

etc..) instead of graduation as a criteria for the GIPA coordinator's post.

I am very confused about the other requirement i.e. not being part of any

network. At the outset it looks discriminatory. And if one looks at the sorry

state of affairs in PLHIV networks (particularly INP+ and their state network)

this may be a better idea. This may even benefit PLHIV who are marginalized

within the powerful PLHIV networks including sexual minorities, sexworkers and

women.

Why most of the leaders of the INP+ and their state networks are men?

Why we don't see sexual minorities, sexworkers and PLHIV in these positions?

When sexual minorities and sexworkers are recognized as the most at risk for HIV

infections why there is very little or no space for them in the main stream

PLHIV networks? Under these circumstances expecting them to address the needs of

sexworker/sexual minority PLHIV is meaningless.

I have heard about large scale corruption in some of the state networks. I have

also heard about sexual harassment of women by their male colleagues in some of

these networks. These are not just allegations but there seems to be enough

proof.

Again the INP+'s policy of affiliating only one state network and state networks

affiliating only one district network to them is discriminatory too.

What prevents INP+ and their state networks to affiliate more than one

network from a state/district?

When most PLHIV networks are not inclusive and are controlled by

heterosexual non-sexworker men, can their members really represent the

interests of all PLHIV?

In Solidarity

Manohar

Manohar Elavarthi

E-MAIL: <manoharban@...>

[Guest guest]

Dear FORUM,

Re: /message/9339

In response to the message posted by Manohar Elarvathi on selection criteria on

the post of GIPA coordinator, We from Tamilnadu Networking people with HIV/AIDS

(TNNP+), a state level network affiliated to INP+ with nearly 35,000 members

with MSM, TG and CSW and widows as members of our network like to provide

correct inputs and information to the forum members about INP+ and its

affiliated state and district level networks.

 

We have our vision and mission, which is to improve the life of all PLHA living

in INDIA. The focus of the network is to advocate, build the networks and

provide access to treatment and services for anyone living with HIV/AIDS in

spite of their case, colour, orientation, gender, profession etc.

 

If you have been closely associated with INP+ and you will be able to know who

our Decision making authorities have been since its inception, you will be

interested to know, since we always give preference to Sexual minorities and sex

workers

But, since we are not particular of how the members got infected and particular

about the history of any member we are not particularly in the Tags and names

you give them and we we will not discriminate on any of these grounds

Do you know there are many working and member of INP+ who have not disclosed

themselves as sexual minorities or sex workers due to various reasons and we

have to be mindful of their contribution too.

INP+ is a renowned organization, and it serves many thousands of PLHA and never

gives incorrect information in such forums.

 

About your question on affiliation- We are ready for voicing our rights on

behalf of PLHA all over INDIA in oneness- we are always open to any PLHA to be a

member of our network- Partition of small networks when traced through history

would mostly be the member of INP+.

Some people out of selfish gain and selfish attitude and not transparent in

governance and finance would have started another network- they are no other

people but our people straying from our mother organization INP+ and not willing

to abide by the governing principles at our umbrella network(our Home).

We believe that the standards and protocols we have developed for strengthening

the PLHA to improve their quality of life is worth and perfect.

 

About male domination and harassment- we would like to state that the news heard

is absurd and unbelievable. At INP+ and its affiliated State Level Net works

(SLN) and District Level Networks (DLN) there is equal women representation in

the board and decision making body and in state and district level networks

there have been a significance increase in the number of Presidents who are

Women Living with HIV/AIDS.

 

You are always encouraged to learn more of INP+ from their website and their

annual reports or from the decision makers in INP+ or their SLN. Please don't

make generalized statement with no authentic proof.

 

With kind regards

Karunanidhi.G

e-mail: <tnnpplus@...>