Dimapur, March 10 (MExN): With the ever growing discrimination and denial of rights to person living with HIV/AIDS, the promotion and protection of human rights has become necessary to empower individuals and communities to respond to HIV/AIDS, to reduce vulnerability to HIV infection and to lessen the adverse impact of HIV/AIDS on those affected. And also having recognized the effectiveness of a journalist in the fight against HIV/AIDS epidemics, stigma and discriminations, a workshop on ‘HIV and the Law’ was jointly organized by the HRLN, CFAR, DDACC, PH and PPF+ for journalists today here at Tourist Lodge, Dimapur.
Media, reported Human Rights Law Network (HRLN), “can be instrumental in breaking the silence” that surrounds HIV/AIDS and also in creating an environment that encourages discussion of protecting from HIV/AIDS. India having the largest population of HIV positive persons and in the absence of legal framework and adequate legislation to protect rights of the positive persons, social prejudice has become rampant resulting in routine discrimination, exploitation, stigma and victimization reported HRLN. Appreciating Nagaland newspapers for their role in the fight against HIV/AIDS, Sumita said that media should not be taken as a mouthpiece but as an equal partner. Earlier, Tashi C Sherpa detailed the human rights and the basic facts of HIV/AIDS and the recent statistics.
