Abstract Book Vol. 2 [International Conference on AIDS (14th: 2002: Barcelona, Spain)]

XIV International AIDS Conference

Abstracts ThPeG8272-ThPeG8275 655

edge. Our study is an attempt to understand the application of the principles of
confidentiality within the Indian social context. Within the Indian setting, there is
a high tendency to share the information, and sometime exclude the patient from
knowing his status with the intention to protect him or her from "mental stress".
Description: We interviewed 33 individuals recently diagnosed with HIV/AIDS
being served at the FXB Care and Treatment Center in Jodhpur Rajasthan, from
July to December 2001. A psychological and social evaluation of the patients and
their families was done and data was compiled and an alysed.
Lessons learned: Seventy nine percent of the individuals studied were male
(21% female). Seventy nine percent of the patients were aware of their HIV status when interviewed. (21% were unaware).
Regarding the confidentiality of diagnosis, it was limited to the patient only in 3%
of the individuals. However both patient and other member of the family in 97% of
the cases knew the diagnosis.
The diagnosis was not known to the patient but known to others in 7% of the
cases.
The family was supportive of the patient in 61% of the situations, but discrimination was present in 39% of the cases.
Recommendations: Confidentiality understood as disclosure of diagnosis of the
HIV positive status to the patient, excluding others is not as reality within India,
therefore a different approach is proposed in order to make family support an important tool for the improvement of quality of life of the individual suffering from
HIV/AIDS.
Presenting author: Trupti Desai, 1-B Onkar Bhawan, Near Bala Sati Temple,
Ratanada, Jodhpur, India, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail:
[email protected]
ThPeG8272 What is happened/happening to HIV/AIDS+ Widows
in Tanzania - Africa
M.A. Abinery Mpendwa. volunteer counsellor, PO. BOX 71627, DAR ES
SALAAM, Tanzania
Issues: The dilema, torture, stigmatization and discrimination of HIV/AIDS+ widows from their husband's parents start after their husband's death.Over 60%
widows in Tanzania are HIV+.Often these do not know their serostatus,although
sometimes their husband's parents know this before widows as they get early
death certificates written cause of death.
Description: We know HIV+ women are not supposed to be pregnant.The
same to this HIV+ widows others don't have children. So their husband's parents through them out of husband's property On top of that they make torture,stigmatization and discrimination to them. They delay to give their right inherit
(according to inharitance law) as they are waiting for widow's deathday. Many widows die before getting their inherit.
Lesson learned: In Tanzania people beleave that if partiner died to AIDS the rest
(husband/ wife) will not live for more than 5 years from that time.I'm PLWHA. My
husband passed away on April 1997. His parents through me out of his property
and they delay to give me my right inherit(1/8 of his property according to the Islamic law because I don't have a child).l need treatment, to eat well and to rest in
order to live longer. No body is taking care of me.I can't rest because I am fighting
to get my inherit before my death.I can't get proper treatment, eat well as I don't
have enough money. I stopped my other activities because my husband's parents
taken my works equipments. For 6 years now I am waiting for court's judgement.
Recommendation: Torture, discrimination laws (especially inheritance/Islamic
laws) to women should go with a time (to be changed). Also judgement/actions
to inheritance cases of PLWHA strictly should take short time.Death cerficates to
be given to widow(er) for confidential purpose. International/National councils or
NGOs dealing with PLWHA should make sure that law consultantions is availble
free of charge to make PLWHA know better their rights, the will preparation etc.
Presenting author: Mpendwa Abinery, P.O. BOX 71627, DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeG8273 Designing evaluation frame works
P. Manorama, A.L. Mahendran. Community Health Education Society (CHES),
Chenna, India
Evaluation of HIV/STI related interventions basically aims to find out what approaches are effective in curtailing the spread of HIV in different stages of the
epidemic. It also examines the cost-effectiveness of such approaches. CHES has
been working with women in prostitution for last seven years and in a more intense way for last four years CHES has practiced a well-functioning system for
evaluation like the use of daily report sheets and maintenance of various registers, updating ethnographic studies and periodic mapping, which have all helped
in keeping track of the effectiveness of the intervention. Use of indicators, a combination of appropriate qualitative and quantitative methods for all levels of evaluation and active involvement of all relevant partners in designing and implemen
tation of evaluations including target population have been followed. The entire
group of stakeholders have done baseline assessment at the beginning of the
project cycle, conducted process monitoring which examines the extent to which
planned intervention activities have reached keeping track of outcome indicators
and process indicators, Quantitative data on the progress of the intervention is
collected in monthly reports. An excellent flow of information's and data have
been the hallmark of such evaluation.

Presenting author: Manorama Pinakapani, 198,Rangarajapuram Main Road,
Kodambakkam, CHENNAI, 600024, India, Tel.: [phone] 1283 / 473
4076, Fax: [phone], E-mail: [email protected]
ThPeG8274 Claims against "culture": vulnerability, law and a
rights-based approach to HIV in Egypt
H. Bahgat1, S. Long2. 1Cairo University Cairo, Egypt; 21nternational Gay and
Lesbian Human Rights Commission, 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York,
NY, 10118, United States
Issues: Critiques of rights-based approaches to HIV often invoke cultural specificity: the idea that in some settings sociocultural factors render rights discourse
irrelevant, or generate stigmas which preclude groups from rights enjoyment. Can
the universality of rights embrace these particularist objections? Even where human rights appear compromised, can rights advocacy counter the cultural promotion of vulnerability?
Descriptions: Two arguments against rights-based approaches are often cited:
institutionally, fear that moving from service provision to an adversarial stance with
the State will destroy NGO capacity or status; ideologically, fear that rights evoke
cultural resistance, either to the individualizing impact of claims or to empowering
stigmatized populations.
Egypt is an example: rights discourse is weak, and stigma strong. Our research
shows prostitution laws are used against sex workers and MSMs so as to conflate
the two practices-and stigmas.
This paper analyzes the legal regulation of sexuality in Egypt, and its HIV impact;
suggests rights responses involving Egyptian and international protections; and
evaluates advocacy strategies-integrating "cultural" values of privacy and respect
with legal strategies-which NGOs are considering or pursuing.
Lessons learned: Rights advocacy opens space for HIV interventions, by moving attention from identity and the attendant stigma toward general or universal
entitlements. Moreover, public-health perspectives bolster rights advocacy by mitigating cultural and political resistance.
Recommendations: Even where a rights-based approach appears least promising, it crucially creates conditions for intervention and service provision. HIV interventions in such a situation must cooperate with human rights work, identifying
and documenting specific abuses.Human rights advocacy for stigmatized populations in Egypt should in turn draw on public health perspectives to establish
credibility and urgency.
Presenting author: Scott Long, 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor, New York, NY,
10118, United States, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: scott
@iglhrc.org
ThPeG8275 Cases of stigma and discrimination against
positive lives in Bangladesh
J.V. Gomes1, S.N. Mili2. iPopulation Council, Dhaka, 147-E Green Road, Flat
E-3, Dhaka - 1205, Bangladesh; 2CRT Palli Daridro Bimochan Foundation,
Dhaka, Bangladesh
Issue: Over the past decade the major activity done by organizations working on
HIV/AIDS issue in Bangladesh is sensitization and raising awareness along with
peer education and prevention methods among groups practicing risk behaviour.
However, discrimination and stigma against HIV positive lives exist in Bangladesh
that go unreported.
Description: In 2002, the membership of STD/AIDS network in Bangladesh is
115 member organizations, working in the area of raising awareness on and prevention of HIV/AIDS both among high-risk behaviour practicing groups and general population. Amidst this scenario there also exist a loose national network of
HIV positive individuals and an organization named Ashar Alo (Light of Hope)
has been formed in 2001. These HIV+ individuals face innumerable incidents of
discrimination and stigma a few are presented as case studies.
Lessons learned: Unavailability of CD4 cell count test facility is curbing the accessibility to anti-retroviral drugs. Moreover, discrimination from the health care
service providers has resulted in refusal of care and access to facilities to positive
individuals. This has resulted in non-disclosure of HIV status, even while accessing treatment to opportunistic infections. Though stigmatization of HIV+ people by
the media has been reduced and work place discrimination has been minimized
mainly within the NGOs working on HIV/AIDS, still people find it very difficult to
disclose their HIV status even to their families in fear of stigma and discrimination.
Recommendations: The paper recommends that development of HIV/AIDS prevention and care policy should take the shape of legislation. Moreover, access to
treatment should also be supported as a human rights issue and health care service providing institutes need to undergo de-stigmatization training. Intervention
for organizations of positive lives has also been proposed in order to develop a
more humane and friendly environment for HIV+ individuals.
Presenting author: Joachim Victor Gomes, 147-E Green Road, Flat E-3, Dhaka
- 1205, Bangladesh, Tel.: [phone], Fax: [phone], E-mail: snmjvg

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