Are we honest about HIV & AIDS response?

Asian People's Alliance for Combating HIV&AIDS (APACHA) Statement on
World AIDS Day, December 1, 2008

Asia is facing an unprecedented challenge of HIV&AIDS, with possibly
huge economic and social consequences. Despite series of claims and
commitments of the governments, donors and civil society in seriously
pursuing the epidemic, large number of people continue to face crisis
of existence.

The debilitating human rights condition, increasing democratic
deficit, unabated conflicts and increasing religious fundamentalism
in most of the countries of Asia, pose great challenges to address
the causes and consequences of HIV&AIDS.

To add, increasing inequalities, mass exodus and exacerbating
violence, particularly against women make the issue of HIV&AIDS
more complex.

Families, particularly poor families, with HIV cases have started to
face serious and multiple crises. They have not been able to meet
treatment costs and are compelled to sell their land and properties
hence trapped into the vicious circle of poverty and illness.

Children are compelled to drop out from schools. Stigma and
discrimination on the other hand is challenging people's right to
lead a dignified life. Women and children are under the hardest hit.

Weak Public Health Care systems in the region do not have capacity to
bear the burden of the disease. Governments are still reluctant to
allocate sufficient budgets in this sector. Most of the ongoing
programs are donor funded which constraints the liberty of national
institutions as well as this trend puts them under the fear
psychosis. In the mean time, most of the ongoing programs in the
region are not sustainable.

Governance is another serious area which needs immediate attention.

Money is not reaching the communities and this raises BIG and ethical
questions– Are there quality funding mechanisms? Are there effective
monitoring and evaluation systems? Are there enough and transparent
governance mechanisms at global to local levels?

It is true that global economy and globalization strategies,
structures and processes have directly and indirectly affected the
governance structures both at the global and the national levels.

Moreover, they operate through the networks of power which are
created to sustain the interests of the ruling class élites
consequently people at the bottom of society have been systematically
marginalized, excluded and treated badly.

In the specific context to Asia, the Asian civil society has a long
history of struggles for rights, justice and democracy. There are
also powerful political and social movements and campaigns going on
in the region.

However, political interests being the driving force, issues which do
not carry considerable political weight fail to arouse much interest
to Asian civil society and the politics. Issues that fester marginal
population having little political significance barely receive their
attention.

Both the civil society and the ongoing social movements in the region
are still reluctant to talk about HIV and AIDS. Time has come for
Asia to see democracy from the perspectives of the margin.

In June 2001, 189 Heads of State and government representatives
signed the United Nations Declaration of Commitment on HIV& AIDS.
They promised to fight stigma and discrimination, promote prevention,
mobilize resources, advocate universal access to treatment and
promote accountability. At a time of economic crisis, this should not
be an excuse to reverse their promises.

Asian People's Alliance for Combating HIV & AIDS (APACHA) calls upon
all the key stakeholders of HIV response to carefully monitor the
implications of current Global Economic crisis and the worsened food
sovereignty crisis.

The global HIV leadership must carefully monitor the situation and
efforts should be taken to protect the poorest among the population
group who are vulnerable to HIV infection and made vulnerable by HIV
& AIDS.

We call upon The Governments to "Keep the Promise!" Financial crisis
should not be an excuse to turn away from the promises they have made.

At a time when the global HIV&AIDS programs are witnessing potential
funding gap we call upon the donors and the governments to fulfill
their commitments.

Similarly we call governments to immediately introduce humanitarian
relief programs for PLHA in poor families in Asia.

We call for just and democratic governance in all HIV&AIDS related
interventions from global to local levels.

Time has come for the leaders and citizens of Asia and the world to
honestly link what they preach with what they do.

APACHA calls for a wider collaboration of the governments, donors, UN
agencies, civil societies, social and political movement groups to
come together and take immediate action to respect human dignity and
save millions of lives on face of HIV&AIDS.

Besides series of commitments- the question remains- Are WE Honest
about It?


Issued from the International Secretariat of Asian People's Alliance
for Combating HIV&AIDS (APACHA)

APACHA, is the largest Asian multi-sectoral civil society formation
that brings together people affected and infected by HIV&AIDS, social
movements, trade unions, women's rights movements, youth movements,
faith based organizations, policy makers, and other progressive
peoples' associations who share a commitment to combat the causes and
consequences of HIV&AIDS.

APACHA has country chapters in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan,
Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Thailand, and Vietnam,
with its International Secretariat in Nepal.

Media Contact: Prabodh Devkota

Asia Coordinator
secretariat.asia@...

www.apachanet.org

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