Human Rights of People Suffering from AIDS
AIDS has been an epidemic which widely spread all throughout the globe. Besides the agony that it is brought to the victim, it even fuels the endless stigma and discrimination on the people that are HIV positive in every country. Obviously, it greatly increases the negative impact associated with the fatal disease. The stigma and discrimination that goes along with AIDS is an obvious fact nowadays in every institution of the society at large. Well, the rest of the people in the society have their own personal reason to act that way. Since AIDS is a contagious disease, and the worst of it all, it can be reason for the death of anyone. And, if a person will not take extra precautions in dealing with AIDS victims, they may suffer the same fate. This is the major reason that the entire world is creating major barriers in how to prevent further the infection, as well as in alleviating the negative impact of AIDS, so as to provide the adequate care, support and treatment for the AIDS patients. In addition, the stigmatization and discrimination associates\d with AIDS Stigmatization associated with AIDS is underpinned by many factors that include the lack of understanding about the disease, as well as the misconceptions about how HIV is transmitted from person to person, so as the lack of access to treatment among the victims. Not only that, the irresponsible dissemination of information by media, implying that AIDS is incurable, and prejudice and fears relating to a number of socially sensitive issues including sexuality, disease and death, and drug use. All these crucial factors even led to violations of human rights of these people. Apparently, these AIDS victims more often are being deprived of the right to healthcare, employment, education, so as the right of doing things on their own way among many others. The truth is the well-being of people living with HIV is being controlled by the society they are belonged.
http://data.unaids.org/publications/irc-pub06/jc999-humrightsviol_en.pdf
In this regard, AIDS issue was highlighted by the Declaration of Commitment adopted by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session on HIV/AIDS in June 2001. The global consensus on the on the importance of tackling AIDS-related stigma and discrimination was being addressed during the Declaration. Foremost, the Declaration announced that the confronting stigma and discrimination is a prerequisite for effective prevention and care, and reaffirms that they are both acts of violating the human rights of the AIDS victims. Secondly, it is also necessary to address such discrimination and stigma in order to achieve public health goals and fight against the epidemic. The negative effects of stigma and discrimination can be seen as one of those many negative responses of the society towards the people with AIDS. However, the most helpful way to help these people is to take voluntary actions through giving confidential counseling, as well as extensive laboratory tests that can prove if a person is positive or not of AIDS. If the person is positive, his or her HIV's stage must be identified and medically evaluated without any fear of repercussions. For those who happen to be test HIV-negative should receive further prevention counseling and medical measures in order to stay negative all the time. The most important part of all, those who test HIV-positive should receive immediate treatment and care, and prevention counseling to protect others from infection and themselves from reinfection as well. Moreover, people with HIV and AIDS should live in reality with full of positivism outlook in life. They also must get compassion, support system from their families, relatives, friends and within their communities.
http://data.unaids.org/publications/irc-pub06/jc999-humrightsviol_en.pdf
HIV-related stigma and discrimination undermine prevention efforts by making people afraid to seek out for the truth and information that can reduce the risks of HIV exposure. This kind of mentally and behavior of people should be changed at this time and age because it even leads to the inability of the HIV or AIDS victims to protect themselves from further harm. The fear of stigma and discrimination in the society also discourages people living with HIV from disclosing their real health condition to family members and sexual partners. The secrecy that surround HIV infection is resulted from the fear of stigma and discrimination causes people to imagine that they are not themselves at risk of HIV infection. These are already the ways of violating the individual rights of these people; that is even resulting the victims of less likely to receive care and support from the concerned institutions in the communities. This misconception about HIV and AIDS even endanger the life of the entire family such as the spouses, children, and caregivers who suffer stigma and discrimination. This stigma and discrimination needlessly elevates the personal suffering and shame of all the people concerned. And, these are the main reasons why people living with HIV and AIDS do not seek treatment, medical assistance from any government agencies because they think that no one can understand their situation. The shame feeling of the patient can have a strong psychological effect on him or her, it makes the person more vulnerable to blame, depression and self-imposed isolation.
http://data.unaids.org/publications/irc-pub06/jc999-humrightsviol_en.pd
References:
http://data.unaids.org/publications/irc-pub06/jc999-humrightsviol_en.pdf
http://www.welovelmc.com/diseases/hivproject.htm
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