The AIDS Debate
The Express Tribune, Pakistan, 6/30/2014
‘Until recently, Pakistan was classified as ‘low prevalence high risk’, but now it is in the ‘concentrated phase’ of the HIV epidemic,’ says UN official Shafeeq Rehman. ‘Up to 5% people suffer from the infection now, in at least eight major cities.’ Despite this, people remain unaware of HIV and its impending repercussions. ‘We have to be extra careful when conducting awareness campaigns or visiting homes to speak about HIV and AIDS,’ admits social-worker Halima Shan. ‘Many times, we are accused of trying to brainwash local women and promulgate wrong, sinful ideas in society. Some families have extremely strong opinions regarding the topic and ask us to leave.’
Sex Education Classes? Biology Class Hai na!
The Times of India, India, 6/30/2014
While everybody is up in arms about Dr Harsh Vardhan`s statement advocating a ban on sex education, most city schools are content to talk about the subject only in Biology and Moral Science classes. The internet may be abuzz with criticism for the Union Health Minister`s views on sex education, but in Lucknow the subject still doesn`t exist for most school students. While some schools in the city are only teaching sex education in Biology and Moral Science classes, in others the topic is discussed informally between students and teachers. Only a few schools have ensured that experts are there to answer students` inquisitiveness.
Transgenders Have Equal Rights in Society: Judge
Deccan Herald - Mangalore, India, 6/29/2014
Though the Constitution guarantees equal rights to all its citizens, we have neglected the sexual minorities in India. Article 14 to 17 of Indian Constitution which speaks on equality and security of citizens is applicable to them as well, said Principal district and Sessions Judge Uma M G. Speaking after inaugurating a legal awareness programme for sexual minorities, interaction and distribution of departmental facilities to the beneficiaries, she said that in a historic verdict, the Supreme Court on April 15, 2014 recognised transgenders as a third category, other than male or female, and directed the government to grant benefit of reservation to them on a par with socially and economically backward classes of citizens, removing the discrimination faced by them.
Department of Health Aims to Have Zero Mother-To-Child HIV Transmissions
Pattaya Mail - Bangkok, Thailand, 6/29/2014
The Department of Health has announced that they intend to have zero mother-to-child HIV transmissions before too long, and it expects to reduce the transmissions of new infectious patients numbers by two-thirds by 2016. This announcement was made in the opening ceremony for the ‘Countdown To Zero: Eliminating Mother to Child HIV Transmissions’ at the Miracle Grand Convention Hotel in Bangkok.
Gender Equality Education Slipping Backward: Groups
Taipei Times, Taipei, Taiwan, 6/28/2014
Although the Gender Equality Education Act was implemented 10 years ago, gender rights advocacy groups said they were disappointed at the government’s enforcement of the law, as there has been no progress in gender equality education. Rights advocacy groups during a press conference in Taipei accused the government of not making any progress in promoting gender equality education in schools. ‘More shockingly, the Ministry of Education hires people who are against same-sex marriage or homosexuality as members of its Gender Equity Education Committee,’ Taiwan Gender Equality Education Association president Wang Li-ching said.
Sex Education in Schools Should be Banned, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan Says
The Times of India - New Delhi, India, 6/27/2014
After suggesting that to prevent AIDS fidelity in marriage was better than use of condoms, health minister Harsh Vardhan has generated another controversy - this time by stating in his website that sex-education in schools should be banned. Public health activists are angry with the ‘vision’ of the doctor-turned politician. This is not the first time sex education has been opposed by political parties. With the view to generate awareness and inculcate necessary skills among adolescents and youth, a scheme for adolescent education programme in the school curriculum was promoted by the National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) and the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), which led to a major controversy in 2007.
Gender Bias Still Prevails in the Legal Profession, Says Study
The Star - Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 6/26/2014
Fifty-one percent of the members of the Malaysian Bar are female but according to a baseline study conducted by the Association of Women Lawyers (AWL), gender bias is still prevalent within the legal industry. The study commissioned in 2013 to ascertain the working conditions of male and female lawyers and to examine the level of gender biasness and sexual harassment within the legal profession was conducted for eight months. The results of the findings were released by AWL at the Kuala Lumpur Bar Auditorium in Wisma Kraftangan, Kuala Lumpur on June 26, 2014. AWL urged the Malaysian Bar to take gender issues seriously and recognise that gender discrimination exists amongst the Bar members.
Punjab to Set up Adolescent-Friendly Health Clinics
The Hindustan Times - Jalandhar, India, 6/26/2014
Following in the footsteps of the Haryana government and to focus of health care needs of the adolescents, Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHCs) will be opened in all district hospitals and subdivision level hospitals in the state of Punjab, India. The clinics will have special and dedicated staff of medical officers, gynaecologists, male and female counsellors, surgeons and other required staff and will offer services like contraceptive condom programming, management of menstrual disorders, menstrual hygiene, counselling services as well as immunisation.
Advocacy: Civil Society’s Role Stressed in Creating Awareness About Reproductive Health
The Express Tribune, Pakistan, 6/25/2014
A national learning Forum was organised by Rutgers-World Population Foundation (WPF) on June 24, 2014, highlighted the importance of civil society organisations’ role in creating awareness about sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) issues. The purpose of the forum was to share achievements, experiences and outcomes of a 10-year programme, ‘Parwan’ implemented by Rutger WPF from 2011 to 2014. The project contributes to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by promoting gender equality and women empowerment, improving maternal health and combating HIV and AIDS, malaria and other diseases.
Bodde Lauds Joint Fight Against AIDS
The Himalayan Times - Kathmandu, Nepal, 6/24/2014
US Ambassador Peter W Bodde has lauded the successful bilateral partnership between the USA and Nepal in the fight against HIV and AIDS in an expert panel discussion on ‘HIV and AIDS Stigma and Discrimination in Nepal’ held on June 23, 2014. The panel discussion was organised to help broaden the understanding of challenges faced by individuals living with HIV and AIDS in the country. According to the US Embassy in Kathmandu, the US Governments’ projects in Nepal have reached more than 1.18 million individuals with quality HIV prevention services, providing HIV counselling and testing services to nearly 135,000 individuals, and have reached nearly 19,000 HIV-infected individuals with care, support and treatment services.
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