Advancing the rights of people living with and vulnerable to HIV

Human rights violations continue to hinder the response to HIV/AIDS, to place people at risk of HIV and to be addressed in AIDS programs and policy. Subordination of women constrains their ability to demand safer sex and their equal access to health and education services.

Men who have sex with men and sex workers are harassed and abused with impunity in many countries. Prisoners are denied access to HIV/AIDS services and support that are available to others. Indigenous persons and migrants face multiple forms of discrimination that inhibit their seeking of HIV/AIDS services.

People living with HIV/AIDS face a wide range of discriminatory practices in many settings. In short, in spite of widespread rhetorical support for human rights-based approaches to addressing HIV/AIDS, much remains to be done to safeguard the human rights of people living with HIV/AIDS and those most affected by the disease.

In facing these challenges, organizations of people living with HIV/AIDS, advocates and policy-makers have often needed and relied upon legal and human rights analysis and relevant research — to challenge discriminatory laws, to resist unjust or ill-informed policies, to use legal procedures to secure people’s rights and to transform social relations and conditions in ways that protect people against HIV and ensure access to dignity and care for those living with HIV.

Yet such information and tools are often inaccessible in a given language or format or seldom adapted to a particular set of new circumstances. In some cases, many resources exist on a given subject, but those who need these documents do not have the time or resources to find what they need or to work out which existing materials are most pertinent for their needs.

AIDSLEX (the AIDS and Law Exchange) gives concrete meaning to a “rights-based approach to HIV/AIDS”. This web portal is a tool for activists, community organizations, researchers, policy-makers, journalists, health workers and anyone who seeks quick and easy access to a wide range of resources about HIV, human rights and the law. It helps people around the world communicate and share information, materials and strategies, with the ultimate goal of contributing to a global effort to protect and promote the human rights of people living with or vulnerable to HIV and AIDS.

PINK breaks stereotypes

Armenian society can be described as a patriarchal one and men are viewed here as powerful and leading figure. Masculinity has exact shapes and perception and it is highly important to fit into this frames.

This is the core reason that “Public Information and Need of Knowledge” NGO decided to start “Masculinity: breaking stereotypes” project. We started this project on 29 of June, 2009. Within the framework of this project we organize trainings, group discussions and film watching activities about gender issues, perceptions, gender roles and stereotypes concerning masculinity in our society.

In the project we planned to organize an exhibition which would have the same logo as the project, that is “Masculinity: breaking stereotypes” and it took place on 17 of October at Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography.

Both professional artists and non professionals took part in the exhibition where they presented their perceptions about how the “real man” should be and which are the main stereotypes that exist in our reality. Participants were from Armenia, Georgia, Belarus, Slovakia and USA.

During the exhibition the artists presented photos, graphic and ceramic art works, paintings and also short movies. The art works related to different spheres where stereotypes of masculinity are emphasized and appear to be an obstacle in daily life. In their works participants captured ideas about how man can be masculine and implement different roles that are not supposed to be done by an Armenian man, how understanding of who can touch whom, how and why disturb doctors in their work, harmony between men and women and how it is important to value sameness and not differences and etc.

The exhibition started with the presentation of the current project of the organization and after that 2 short movies were shown. Performance of art works was presented for the guests with the explanation of artists. Guests were asked to vote for the best art works and the 3 winners were granted according to the votes received from them and professional jury.Those who weren’t present at the exhibition will have a chance to see the electronic version of it in “Public Information and Need of Knowledge” NGO’s official website or can visit organization’s “Information, Education, Communication” office where the works will be presented during October 23 – 31, 2009.

Exhibition "Masculinty: Breaking Stereotypes"

"Public Information and Need of Knowledge" NGO invites you to take part in "Masculinity: Breaking Stereotypes" exhibition during which will be presented different works of art.

The entrance is free.

The event will take place in State Theatre, 26 Amiryan, (Yerevan State Institute of Theatre and Cinematography), on 17 of October, 1pm-5pm

Official oppening on 2pm.

Circumcision to fight HIV

Public health officials are considering promoting routine circumcision (surgical removal of the foreskin of the penis) for all baby boys born in the United States to reduce the spread of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

The topic is a delicate one that has already generated controversy, even though a formal draft of the proposed recommendations, due out from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention by the end of the year, has yet to be released.

Experts are also considering whether the surgery should be offered to adult heterosexual men whose sexual practices put them at high risk of infection. But they acknowledge that a circumcision drive in the United States would be unlikely to have a drastic impact: the procedure does not seem to protect those at greatest risk here, men who have sex with men.

Recently, studies showed that in African countries hit hard by AIDS, men who were circumcised reduced their infection risk by half. But the clinical trials in Africa focused on heterosexual men who are at risk of getting HIV from infected female partners.

For now, the focus of public health officials in this country appears to be on making recommendations for newborns, a prevention strategy that would only pay off many years from now. Critics say it subjects baby boys to medically unnecessary surgery without their consent.

Clinical trials in Kenya, South Africa and Uganda found that heterosexual men who were circumcised were up to 60 percent less likely to become infected with HIV over the course of the trials than those who were not circumcised.

Members of Intact America oppose circumcision on broad philosophical and medical grounds, Ms. Chapin argued that the studies in Africa found only that circumcision reduces HIV infection risk, not that it prevents infection. “Men still need to use condoms,” Ms. Chapin said.

In fact, while the clinical trials in Africa found that circumcision reduced the risk of a man’s acquiring HIV, it was not clear whether it would reduce the risk to women from an infected man, several experts said.

“There’s mixed data on that,” Dr. Kilmarx said. But, he said, “If we have a partially successful intervention for men, it will ultimately lower the prevalence of HIV in the population, and ultimately lower the risk to women.”

Circumcision is believed to protect men from infection with H.I.V. because the mucosal tissue of the foreskin is more susceptible to HIV and can be an entry portal for the virus. Observational studies have found that uncircumcised men have higher rates of other sexually transmitted infections like herpes and syphilis, and a recent study in Baltimore found that heterosexual men were less likely to have become infected with HIV from infected partners if they were circumcised.

source: The New York Times

picture by S H HO urology and laparoscopy center

Provoking...

Iravunk newspaper says
Ministry of Sport-supporter of propaganda of homosexuality?

There is an NGO in Armenia named PINK Armenia, which declares its main objective to be fighting SPID (AIDS in Russian) by providing relevant information. However, as it appears, this organisation can morally carry the role of SPID (AIDS in Russian) as on the frontline of its web page the organisation (August 20) we found out a material that glorifies homosexuality and degrades the ones fighting against it, amongst mass media.
And right next to the frontline article, on the left side it lists its supporters: Ministry of Sport and youth of Armenia and the Norwegian Embassy in Moscow. Well, it is not a surprise that one of the Armenian Ministries actually acts as a supporter of propaganda of homosexuality. As they say, ‘no comments’. And we are looking forward to the official response of the Minister on how such shame could happen. Besides, we address a question to the Ministry, on what is the support they are providing and if supporting such shameful organisations is the function of mysteries.

PINK replies

Dear Mr. Galajyan

This letter is following the article"Mynistry of Sport - supporter of a propadanda of homosexuality?" published in 'Iravunk' daily issued on 25 August, 2009. We highly appriciate your interest in our organisation, however, let us make some remarks on the content of your article. Firstly, we see dire need to clarify the mission of our organisation for you, which is "Prevention of STIs (sexually transmitted infections)' and by no means propaganda of homosexuality. You could kindly obtain further information on the objectives of PINK Armenia here.

Secondly, we would like to drow your attention to the fact SPID (AIDS in Russian) is not transmitted and we do not educate on how AIDS is transmitted.

Seeing your vast interest in our organisation, its activities and mission you are kindly invited to attend our organisation as well as an educational meetings with our other visitors. Please, feel free to follow our organisational calendar and contact us for an appointment.

We look forward to hosting you in our information centre,
Kind regards
Mamikon Hovsepyan