"Today, poverty prevails as the gravest human rights challenge in the world. Combating poverty, deprivation and exclusion is not a matter of charity, and it does not depend on how rich a country is. By tackling poverty as a matter of human rights obligation, the world will have a better chance of abolishing this scourge in our lifetime...Poverty eradication is an achievable goal."
Louise Arbour UN High Commissioner for Human Rights http://www.un.org/events/humanrights/2006/
The reason I use the above quote coincides with Louise Arbour's visit to Sri Lanka in September. Her report to the UN looked at human rights violations which relate to the upturn in the conflict, the number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), LTTE tactics, etc.
From the standpoint of someone who is trying to help people regain their livelihoods, this is sometimes seen as a pointless task. Just as many of the initiatives we are working on begin to uplift communities out of poverty and fears about their futures and their security, another attack occurs, a bomb explodes, people are forced back into subsistence, hoping that peace will come to their areas once again.
The government of Sri Lanka does not accept Louise Arbour's report, nor will it accept the UN's invitation to act as a monitoring body within the country. Last week over 1000 Tamils in Colombo were arrested following two bombings in the city. No just cause was given, most of the people have been released, and the government still justifies its actions.
Happy Human Rights Day Sri Lanka
Holocaust Memorial Berlin
Monday, December 10, 2007
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Living with... and speaking out HIV/AIDS Stigma
Just a short video which looks at the problems faced by those living with HIV/AIDS.
World AIDS Day
December 1st is World AIDS Day, a day to become more aware of HIV/AIDS, to actively take part in an AIDS Day event, or to pass on some knowledge you may have about HIV/AIDS.
At present, there are an estimated 33 million people worldwide living with HIV; The number of AIDS related deaths is at around 6 000 people per day. Although much of the problem is due to funding, inability for the poor to buy antiretrovirals, and lack of education in some regions of the world, it is my belief that the root cause is from the stigma which is still attached to the disease. The resulting discrimination makes it difficult for those infected to seek help and feel supported.
"Stigma can lead to discrimination and other violations of human rights which affect the well-being of people living with HIV in fundamental ways. In countries all over the world, there are well-documented cases of people living with HIV being denied the right to health-care, education, and freedom of movement, among others."
http://www.aidsportal.org/overlay_details.aspx?nex=50
Country specific policies don't help matters. Uganda's homophobic regulations do not allow programs which could help cut-down on HIV transmission, the USA believes its "abstinence" program is the way to go, and will not fund any programs which promote condom use, and countries such as China try and sweep the problem under the carpet (although forecasters state that China's HIV potential is at around 50 000 000 people).
At present, there are an estimated 33 million people worldwide living with HIV; The number of AIDS related deaths is at around 6 000 people per day. Although much of the problem is due to funding, inability for the poor to buy antiretrovirals, and lack of education in some regions of the world, it is my belief that the root cause is from the stigma which is still attached to the disease. The resulting discrimination makes it difficult for those infected to seek help and feel supported.
"Stigma can lead to discrimination and other violations of human rights which affect the well-being of people living with HIV in fundamental ways. In countries all over the world, there are well-documented cases of people living with HIV being denied the right to health-care, education, and freedom of movement, among others."
http://www.aidsportal.org/overlay_details.aspx?nex=50
Country specific policies don't help matters. Uganda's homophobic regulations do not allow programs which could help cut-down on HIV transmission, the USA believes its "abstinence" program is the way to go, and will not fund any programs which promote condom use, and countries such as China try and sweep the problem under the carpet (although forecasters state that China's HIV potential is at around 50 000 000 people).
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