UNITED NATIONS

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

53rd SESSION

Geneva, 7 April 1997

Oral statement presented by the Transnational Radical Party, a nongovernmental organization in consultative status (General 1)

Under Item 9

FURTHER PROMOTION AND ENCOURAGEMENT OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND FUNDAMENTAL FREEDOMS, INCLUDING THE QUESTION OF THE PROGRAMME AND METHODS OF WORK OF THE COMMISSION

delivered by Olga Cechurova

Mr. Chairman,

people living with HIV/AIDS are still victims of stigmatization throughout the world. Stigma and discrimination are tragic effects of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, causing great human suffering and also undermining public health efforts to prevent further HIV spread. Stigma and discrimination are, without any doubt, the enemies of public health. For this reason, preventing discrimination toward HIV infected people and those with AIDS has been made an essential part of the public health strategy in order to prevent and control the global epidemic.

The HIV/AIDS pandemic is not just a global health problem; we believe that the rights of information, education, health and nondiscrimination for all people, especially for vulnerable and marginalized groups such women, children, minorities, indigenous peoples, refugees, homosexuals, sex workers, drug users and prisoners, are the right keys to stop the spread of this epidemic as well as any other type of epidemic.

Tragically, the HIV epidemic continues to grow, and it is not by chance that ninety percent of those living with HIV/AIDS can be found in the developing countries, and within every society in which there are marginalized people living in poverty and suffering from inadequate human rights protection. Especially in the less developed countries in Africa and Asia.

Mr. Chairman,

The TRP deeply believes that Governments should take measures to avoid social stigmatization of and discrimination against those affected by HIV/AIDS, and strengthen national and international mechanisms that are concerned with HIV/AIDS related human rights and ethics.

Informed and responsible behavior can prevent HIV transmission. This stresses the role and responsibility of individuals, groups and organs of society to promote, in a spirit of human solidarity and tolerance, a social environment that can prevent the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

We ask all States to monitor the status and the trends of the HIV/AIDS epidemic adequately and to interpret the changes in its trends, as well as to detect potentially explosive epidemic at their early stages, especially in those countries and areas with potential explosive epidemics, such as India, Cambodia, Myanmar, Indonesia, several countries in West Africa, and South Africa.

We believe all States should ensure in their laws, policies and practices, including those regarding HIVAIDS, the respect of human rights standards. They should include the right to privacy and integrity of people living with HIVAIDS and the prohibition of HIVAIDS related discrimination, without having the effect of inhibiting programs for the prevention of HIVAIDS and for the care of persons who are infected as well as the right to work, travel without restrictions, accessible and affordable health care and housing.

Mr. Chairman,

The TRP asks the High Commissioner for Human Rights to consider appropriate methods to keep the protection of human rights in the context of the HIV/AIDS pandemic under continuous review, to monitor government and private practices and to ensure that women, children, low income and disadvantaged groups have equal access to HIV information, education, health services, prevention methods, and, most important, access to all the available medications.

In conclusion, we ask that the HIV/AIDS related issues should be brought to and discussed under other items of the work Commission such as the status of women, violence against women and girls, rights of children, rights to sexual self determination, as universal freedom of travel and displaced people. More in general, we request the Commission and other UN human rights bodies, including the Third Committee, to intensify their commitment to a rightsbased response to HIV/AIDS.

Human rights question, including alternative approaches must be improved for an effective enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms in order to break the silence that a large part of the International Community systematically keeps on the HIV/AIDS and others serious pandemics.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.