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De:	igor mocorro [ Profil ]
Sujet:	FREEZE: Reconciling Government Policy and People on the Move...The Challenge of HIV & AIDS to the Modern Mobile World
Envoyé:	Jul 4th, 2009 - 00:58:34
Pièces-jointes:	FREEZE by Igor Mocorro.pdf

	FREEZE: Reconciling Government Policy and People on the Move The Challenge of HIV & AIDS to the Modern Mobile World By: Igor G. Mocorro, RN, MPH (c) - Republic of the Philippines Youth Reporter/Observer sponsored by the World AIDS Campaign 24thUNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board Meeting – Thematic Segment Panel 1 Geneva, Switzerland; June 22, 2009 Article & video posted on YAFA's website, click here to access. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Migration has been part of the daily lives of millions of people across the globe. Looking back in the history of the world, migration has evolved million years ago.. From the existence of Homo erectus to the Homo sapiens who migrated from Africa to Asia, Europe and Australia to the people who moved to America to the colonization of the Pacific islands, these are among the many events of the world history that reflect how people move from place to place for various reasons including the search for food, work, better living environment among others – the conquest for human needs and survival. In modern times, the world is at its peak of globalization. The discoveries of high technologies, including transportation and communication, have emerged in the past decades making the world smaller, faster and driving people closer to one another. While people enjoy these wonders of the modern world, its society has been divided into two opposing faces: the wealthy versus the poor, the healthy versus the sick and the dying, those who live in the comfort of their homes versus those who live in the conflict of wars, those who are ignorant versus the educated, those who are restricted versus the unrestricted, and those who live in isolation versus those who live in freedom. These faces of our society reflect some of the sad realities of the modern world and migration. Realities of which our governments and the national and global policies they create have been very instrumental of their existence. In terms of HIV and AIDS, these realities remain a challenge to the modern world and they require commitments from our leaders in order to reach the goal of universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support. In the recently concluded 24thUNAIDS Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) Meeting held at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, 'People on the move – forced displacement and migrant populations' has been the highlight of the thematic segment. This activity was conducted a day before the main plenary/policy making session to immerse the participants of the PCB meeting, including member states and civil society/delegates of non-government organizations, in the discussion of different psychosocial and economic issues of HIV and AIDS related to migration. The thematic segment was divided into four panels including: Panel 1. Universal Access and HIV-related travel restrictions on entry, stay and residence conducted in parallel with Panel 2. Universal Access, mobility and labour; and Panel 3. Universal Access, forced displacement and humanitarian situations conducted in parallel with Panel 4. Universal Access, economic drivers and pull factors for mobility. PANEL 1. Universal Access and HIV-related travel restrictions on entry, stay and residence “Travel restriction is not a new issue. These restrictions have been around since the 80s. They were put in place by governments and there was a lot of fear, ignorance, confusion about how HIV was transmitted and what is involved. So governments put these restrictions in place and they cited these two reasons: 1 to protect the public health and 2. to avoid the possible cost associated with care, support, and treatment and support.” -Susan Timberlake, UNAIDS Secretariat Susan Timberlake spearheaded the Panel 1. To start the session, she briefly talked about HIV travel restriction and its impact on the lives of people living with HIV. The session was highlighted by the testimonies of some persons living with HIV who have shared their experiences on deportation and travel restriction due to their HIV status. Mr. Shaun Mellors, from the Foundation of Professional Development, and Mr. Jericho Paterno of Pinoy Plus Association are the two persons living with HIV who touched the heart of the participants in this session. Ms. Timberlake highlighted the following data on the travel restrictions across the globe: * 59 countries have some forms of restriction on the entry, stay and residence based on HIV status alone * 7 countries require declaration of HIV status resulting in either bar to entry or need for discretionary approval (basically declare all PLHIV inadmissible) * 6 countries denying visas even for short-term stay for persons living with HIV including the United States * 26 countries deport foreigners once they become HIV positive or their HIV positive status is discovered * 39 countries have restrictions applying to labour migrants * 108 countries have no known HIV-related travel restriction * 4 countries decided that they will remove their travel restrictions including China and the United States of America PANEL 1 (Universal Access & HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence) was divided into small groups, which the participants discussed the given two questions: 1. What are the barriers to universal Access caused by HIV-related restrictions on entry, stay and residence? 2. What are concrete actions that governments, civil society and international organizations can do in the next year to further realize the elimination of travel restrictions. For barriers to universal access, some responses include: * discrepancy between written laws and policies and the day-to-day practice * access to services is limited * false sense of security (HIV is viewed as a foreign problem) * denial of work visas limits access to work (people living with HIV need to be able to work to access treatment) * cost of universal access * strong issue of stigma which has an effect on access to prevention and care services * criminalization of HIV that pushes people living with HIV underground What the governments, civil society and international organizations can do: * Governments and regional authorities should take action to remove restrictions. * Governments and civil society should engage with a broader range of stakeholders than just HIV-focused organizations, particularly human rights-based organizations who can hold governments accountable. * They should have a multi-pronged strategy, share best practices and hold up positive examples. * Naming and shaming strategy (working with allies of governments that still have restrictions) can be use. * Governments have to look to their own side and build political will. * Governments should strengthen policies for access to treatment, services and facilities for immigrants; civil society and international organizations also have their roles and should work together. * Governments that maintain restrictions should review their policies and practices in the next 12 months based on empirical evidence and experiences of other governments. They should separate health service provision from immigration control as what Brazil does. * Governments should train their immigration officers on HIV and the impact of travel restrictions. * The Global Fund on AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) could encourage grants to extend access to services to people on the move. * Stop ignoring the evidence. Use evidence strategically for impact at critical moments in political mobilization. * Engage trade unions and employer organizations; migrants should be specifically included in this document (ILF Theme: HIV and AIDS in the world of work). * Build awareness of this issues within our organizations. To access the Panel 1 Rapporteurs Report, click here! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jericho Paterno on Migration and HIV & AIDS (Story excerpt from Mr. Paterno's Speech, former Filipino migrant worker & a person living with HIV at the 24thUNAIDS PCB Meeting) “It was my birthday when they put me in an isolation area and I stayed there for 3 weeks.No one provided me with any counseling. I did not understand what could be wrong. I wasn't sick. I look healthy. And I know I still have the capacity to work. When the company learns of my HIV status, they did not give me the 2-month salary that they owe me. I was informed that I will be deported back to my country immediately.” - Jericho Paterno, former Filipino migrant worker Jericho Paterno, member of the Pinoy Plus Association based in the Philippines, is one of the speakers who represented the civil society during the thematic segment. He spoke about his experiences as a former Filipino migrant worker who was deported to his country from the Middle East after being found HIV positive.. Mr. Paterno is one among the many people across the globe who had face the traumatic experience of HIV-related travel restriction. With his dream of having a better life – to support himself and his family, Jericho sought help from his friend who is working abroad to look for a job in a foreign land. He landed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates in 2005 under a tourist visa and was able to get a job in a restaurant. Few months after, Jericho was required by his company to change his visa status from a tourist to an employment visa. He was required to take medical examinations, which without his knowledge, he was tested for HIV. The day after his medical exam, the Dubai Municipality called and ordered him to be isolated indicating that he has problem with his blood. He was told that he is HIV positive but was not given counseling and was put in isolation. He was sent back to the Philippines with only some t-shirts and a small bag with him. Jericho emphasized the challenges that many HIV-positive returning migrants face as they return or deported back to their country. To quote, he said: “One of the worst impact of being HIV positive that I can no longer work abroad. Many migrants workers like me who are diagnosed with HIV are left without any source of steady income. In the Philippines, job are hard to find. I went back home carrying only t-shirts and small bag thinking of what will happen to my future knowing that I cannot go back abroad because of my HIV status.” It took 2 years before Jericho finally accepted his situation as a person living with HIV. At first, he experienced being hospitalized due to pneumonia and tuberculosis and had almost gave up on his life. According to him, the support from his family and the organization/group that he had met during his confinement in the hospital has helped him to recover. In 2007, he engaged himself in advocacy works with Pinoy Plus Association, an organization of Filipinos living with HIV and AIDS in the Philippines. Jericho extended his thanks to the UNAIDS for the opportunity that was given to him to share his story and called for the member states and civil society who attended the 24thPCB Meeting to work hand in hand to further strengthen actions to eliminate HIV-related restriction on entry, stay and residence and to make sure that no one has ever to go through what he had experienced. To listen/watch to Jericho Paterno's speech, click here! Report Written by: Igor G. Mocorro, RN, MPH (c) HIV & AIDS Advocate – Philippines Youth AIDS Filipinas Alliance (YAFA) "Nothing About Us Withou Us" Let the VOICE of the Filipino Youth be heard to STOP AIDS! E-mail Address: admin (at) youthaidsfilipinasalliance.org http://www.youthaidsfilipinasalliance.org Get your new Email address! Grab the Email name you've always wanted before someone else does! http://mail.promotions.yahoo.com/newdomains/aa/

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