Dimapur, August 25 (MExN): Ever since the first HIV Positive case in Nagaland (1991) was detected, a lot of activity have already been initiated in the state to create awareness and to promote enabling environments. The reluctance of women and children to come out openly with their status, have posed a major challenge in this area.
“We cannot deny that although we have been fighting HIV/AIDS for over many years, there is still a good amount of ignorance of the hard realities of women and children in regard to epidemic, their rights and needs and less support” chairman of Positive Women Forum, NNP+, Chongtie says in concern. Citing a survey showing 40% among the HIV-infected population being comprised of women in India, the forum informed that in Nagaland, 60% are women among those who are “coming out.”
“Within short span of time, we can see the increasing percentage of women and children infected with HIV in our state and gradually becoming more susceptible to the disease and therefore the challenges posed by HIV/AIDS in Nagaland remain formidable” the forum explains.Realizing a greater involvement of people living with HIV/AIDS (or the GIPA principle, Paris AIDS Summit in 1994), it was felt that affected/infected women and children should participate in assisting in more accurate identification of the needs that exist and to address them so as to create an environment free of stigma and discrimination,
“Toward this cause the Positive Women Forum (PWF) which is the only Positive women forum in Nagaland, was formed on May 6, 2006 comprising of over 200 infected women and children with the vision and mission to improve the overall quality of life of women and children living with HIV/AIDS; it also envisions looking in mainstreaming concerns of women and children and see that access to service and constitutional rights are maintained.
“At present, we have Positive Women Forum in six districts i.e. Tuensang, Dimapur, Kiphire, Phek, Zunheboto and Kohima” Chongtie confides. She states that when women are observed worldwide as more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS and feel that lot of attention is needed, PWF, which exists despite much hardship, stigma and discrimination, no help or support has been rendered till now.
However the forum hopes that its voices will be heard at all levels and are looking forward for kind responses. Besides Advocating issues and Networking, the forum also strives toward achieving key objectives in order to have an effective comprehensive HIV/AIDS prevention and care and support programs particularly for women and children in Nagaland.
The objectives included building skill and knowledge of WLHA on effective implementation of women and children program in the state and districts; implementing programs specific for women and children infected and affected with HIV; development of women positive-speaking bureaus to address stigma and discrimination in the districts; bringing out a possible change in factors that make women and children more vulnerable to HIV infection, by giving sufficient attention and by providing nutritional care and support for people living with HIV/AIDS; helping HIV/AIDS affected households to live with dignity and security by helping and providing them immediate food, nutrition and other basic needs.
The forum informs that the immediate needs are nutritional care and support to promote well-being, self-esteem and a positive attitude to life for the affected people and their families; training components for Positive Women Speakers Bureau to effectively advocate for the rights the affected community and support for self-sustainability of positive women (to earn their livelihood).
The forum is confident that with the firm support of NSACS, governmental departments and communities in all aspects will definitely bring a remarkable turn around in giving a human face to the pandemic and to uplift the overall living standard of affected/infected women and children as well as other affected in general.
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