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Toma [ profile ] |
| Subject: |
[sea-aids] ICAAP 2009: Connecting children and youth through the 9th ICAAP
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Aug 13th, 2009 - 10:51:28 |
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Dear Friends,
FYI...
Ishwarchandra Haobam is former RFP for South Asia.
Thanks and best,
Toma
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: SEA-AIDS
Date: Thu, Aug 13, 2009 at 1:59 PM
Subject: [sea-aids] ICAAP 2009: Connecting children and youth through
the 9th ICAAP
To: SEA-AIDS
ICAAP 2009: Connecting children and youth through the 9th ICAAP
Ishwarchandra Haobam, Key Correspondent
********************************************
[On HealthDev.net]: The issues of children infected and affected by
HIV/AIDS have long been neglected. Promises and commitments to support
and care for children have always remained in the paper. Turning them
into action seems to be difficult for governments and stakeholders. We
all know that children are the vital assets of our society; they are
the one who can bring glory and pride to our society in the future.
Neglecting their issues will have a long term negative impact in all
aspect of lives. Equal priority needs to be given to both affected and
non affected children because both are equal in the eyes of the law
and creating a bias between them will be an injustice, especially for
affected children.
Over twenty-five years into the acquired immune deficiency syndrome
(AIDS) epidemic, the children in its path remain at grave risk. In
2007, it was estimated that 2.1 million children less than 15 years
old were living with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), 290,000
children died of AIDS and 420,000 children were newly infected. Over
15 million children under 18 have lost one or both parents to AIDS,
and millions more have been made vulnerable. Children affected by HIV
and AIDS may experience poverty, homelessness, school drop-out,
discrimination, loss of life opportunity, and early death.
HIV and AIDS are brutal escalators of other cruelties which children
endure. In today's world the majority of people living in poverty are
women and children. Three quarters of the 24,000 daily deaths (more
than 8 million every year) related to hunger are among those under the
age of five (The Hunger Project). One hundred and twenty million
children between the ages of 5 and 14 work in conditions that are
hazardous to healthy growth and development (Source: ILO
(International Labour Organisation)). Estimates suggest that as many
as 100 million children worldwide are homeless or spend most of their
time surviving on the streets (UNICEF). Massive populations of
families with children are displaced and often separated because of
conflict and natural disasters. According to the United Nations Expert
Report on the Impact of Armed Conflict on Children, more than half of
the near 60 million people displaced by war are children separated
from their families. Millions more have been injured, disabled,
orphaned and died in armed conflict. Children are used as soldiers and
forced to kill; raped by soldiers or made to watch their mothers and
sisters being raped and their families murdered. Added to these,
children are victimized and trafficked as commodities for sale in
local and global sexual prostitution and pornography industries.
Estimates are that at any time, as many as one million children are
involved in the commercial sexual exploitation arena every day.
(ECPAT, World Congress against Commercial Sexual Exploitation of
Children). Countless others are physically, sexually and
psychologically abused in what should be the secure confines of their
homes and neighbourhoods.
The roles that children fill as poor, hungry, exploited and abused
human beings increase their vulnerability to HIV infection. This can
occur directly through those activities known to be associated with
transmission, or indirectly as occurs when earlier harm turns children
into vulnerable adults. For example those with a history of childhood
physical or sexual abuse have also been found in adolescence or
adulthood to be more likely than non-abused peers to engage in
behaviours that place them at high risk of HIV infection.
It is well and good that at least young people especially over 15
years of age can raise their voices demanding their fundamental rights
though the case is not similar for orphans and vulnerable children
below 15 years of age affected by HIV. They are inexperienced and
can’t make decisions on their own. Their decision about where to go
and what they should do are often made by the adult authority. The
empowerment of children, essential in reversing pervasive inequality
between adults and children, needs to be balanced with the necessary
protection and guidance to which children have a right as part of a
safe and healthy development. However, adult authority can result in
decisions which are misguided or unrealistic.
Judgments about children based upon adult wishes rather than reality
can lead to decisions that do not serve a child's best interest. For
instance, in many societies, prevailing attitudes support the idea
that children should be "protected" from information pertaining to sex
in order to preserve "childhood innocence". Such attitudes are
inconsistent with the realities of life for millions of vulnerable
children and therefore deprive them of opportunities to understand the
risks and dangers they may face. One result of this is that children
are inadequately taught about sexuality and sexually transmitted
diseases (STD's), including HIV/AIDS, before sexual experiences begin.
The factors which make it necessary to provide such education is a
problem many adults prefer to ignore. Children left powerless through
the denial of sex education are also rendered powerless to protect
themselves from infection in those situations which they are able to
control.
The second day of the 9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and
the Pacific (ICAAP) talked and discussed almost nothing about
children's issues. During a symposium about HIV prevention and most at
Risk young people, speakers and panelists were talking and presenting
about young people vulnerability to HIV and their needs. What was
missing in the symposium was discussions and debates on children's
issues. Panelists discussed about the best practices, sexual and
reproductive rights, gaps and challenges? of young people. Undeniably
the rights to participation of young people must be meet at all cost
but what about the children below 15 years of age who are orphaned by
HIV/AIDS? Who can they approach and ask for their rights? At this
point young people can play a critical role to raise the needs of
children because the judgments made by adult authority often
contradict with the wishes of children. Connecting the issues of
children and young people is extremely important and it can be
possible through youth initiative programmes starting right from this
ongoing 9th ICAAP.
The problems faced by children are monumental but so is the HIV
epidemic which weaves through them all. This social context cannot be
ignored or neglected in efforts to contain the virus. If success in
prevention, treatment and cure is ever going to reach the majority of
the population of the world affected by HIV/AIDS, then the elimination
of conditions which nurture and strengthen their hold on individuals
and communities and which provide obstacles to prevention and care
must be zealously sought. Prevention is usually easier than cure and
recovery not only in matters of physical health but in all ways that
affect the total well being of persons. Opportunities that foster the
well being of a person begin in the uterus and depend on long term
support from others. This dependency and support must exist throughout
childhood only diminishing as the child approaches adulthood equipped
with the strengths and skills for independence and self sufficiency.
The lifelong well being of a person depends on opportunities for the
development of strengths and skills during childhood.
Ishwarchandra Haobam
Key Correspondent
Online at: http://healthdev.net/site/post.php?s=5724
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Tsutomu Nemoto ねもとつとむ
Master Programme
Department of Community and Global Health
Graduate School of Medicine
The University of Tokyo
tsutomu.nemoto (at) gmail.com
Regional Focal Point for Asia and Pacific
Global Youth Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GYCA)
toma (at) youthaidscoalition.org
www.iAIDS.org | www.youthaidscoalition.org
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