Protecting Human rights - A comprehensive legislation for HIV/AIDS in the offing-
A comprehensive legislation for HIV/AIDS in the offing
(PRWEB) December 27, 2002
Press Release
Protecting Human rights
A comprehensive legislation for HIV/AIDS in the offing-
New Delhi, December 26, 2002: Following the recommendations from the International Policymakers Conference, May 2002, a comprehensive legislation safeguarding the human rights for People Living With HIV/AIDS and creating an environment that enables effective control of the epidemic, is in the offing. The Lawyers Collective, a well-known public interest group of professional lawyers, will be drafting the document in association with National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) and Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). An Advisory Working Group of participants and resource persons from the International Policymakers Conference has been convened to oversee the process of drafting the legislation on HIV/AIDS.
The convener of the International Policymakers Conference and Member of Parliament Mr. Kapil Sibal leads this working group. The group comprises of representatives from the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), NGOs such as Lawyers Collective, NAZ foundation, people living with HIV/AIDS, as well as international organizations such as UNAIDS and International AIDS Vaccine Initiative.
The legislation will touch upon various issues of Confidentiality, Discrimination, The legislation will include, (but will not be limited to) issues related to consent to testing, maintaining confidentiality of status, stigma and discrimination, vulnerability, HIV/AIDS research, gender and access to information, treatment and technologies.
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Commenting on the initiative, Mr. Kapil Sibal, said, “ For a world without AIDS, we must commit ourselves to discover an effective preventive vaccine. The medical community must immediately respond to deal with the health issues relating to those infected by HIV/AIDS.”
He further added, “Simultaneously, it is the need of the hour, that we evolve a comprehensive response to deal with human rights and a host of socio economic issues which impact on the infected. Issues relating to societal response in that regard must also be addressed immediately.”
According to Mr. Anand Grover, Project Director, Lawyers Collective, “The process for drafting the legislation will be such as to take into account the opinion of various stakeholders both at national and regional levels.”
Commenting on the scope of the legislation, Ms. Meenakshi Datta Ghosh said, “National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) is ushering in a paradigm shift by focusing on the human rights aspects of HIV and AIDS. NACO is an active participant in this legislation initiative and we look forward to a comprehensive legislation”
