Children interact with Parliamentarians on the provision for women and children in the HIV/AIDS Bill New Delhi, July 9, 2009: Plan India, a child centered development organization working in India since 1979, organized an interface between Parliamentarians and Children to voice their opinion on different provisions of the HIV/AIDS Bill specifically on the provisions which aim to mitigate the impact of the epidemic on women & children.
The HIV/AIDS affects hundreds of young men, women and children in India. To contain the spread of HIV, the Government of India has made concerted efforts through prevention, awareness, treatment, and care and support programmes. However, stigma and discrimination and violation of human rights is impeding the efforts by various agencies in mitigating the impact of HIV and AIDS among the vulnerable groups especially women and children.
The HIV/AIDS Bill will ensure Human Rights and Universal Access to Prevention, Treatment, Care and Support to the HIV affected.
The interface was conducted in the presence of eminent parliamentarians and dignitaries from Sports and Entertainment industry namely Oscar Fernandes, Ering Ninong, Sanjay Takan, Agatha Sangma, Sushila Triya and Alka Lamba, Nagesh Kukunoor, Virender Sehwag and representatives of the National Aids Control Organisation (NACO).
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Bhagyashri Dengle, Executive Director, Plan India said, “Long-term improvements and change can only be sustained if children are active players in their development, not passive recipients of aid. We believe that long-term improvements and change can only be sustained if children are ‘development actors’: they participate, voice their opinions, and are listened to and taken seriously, because their opinions count.”
She added that this initiative has been taken to let the children voice their rights in front of those who will play a vital role in passing the bill in the parliament. She expressed her gratitude to all who came forward to support Plan’s initiative to ensure that the basic rights such as Right to Health Care, Right to Education, Right to Property & Right to Guardianship should be given to HIV/ AIDS affected men, women and children in India.
As per NACO estimates, India has approximately 100000 children below 18 years of age who are infected with HIV. It is estimated that 70,000 children below the age of 15 are infected every year through parent to child transmission. Significantly, the number of children who have either one or both HIV positive parents or who have lost both their parents to HIV/AIDS is steadily increasing.
Plan India is committed to the cause of HIV/AIDS and the programs are implemented for the Prevention of HIV/AIDS with a focus on care, support, and provision of antiretroviral treatment to the children infected and affected with HIV and AIDS. Plan’s HIV/AIDS projects are in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
In the year 2008 Plan India organized three workshops at different parts of the country with more than fifty national and international NGOs working in the field of HIV/AIDS. The objective of these workshops was to identify issues, gaps, deliberate on strategies and bring recommendations for “HIV and AIDS Prevention and Care Continuum for Women and Children in India”. Plan India has also conducted a study on the vulnerability of spouses and children of Intravenous Drug Users (IDU’s) in North East Indian states and Punjab.
In 2006, Plan produced a child friendly HIV and AIDS Awareness Kit HAAP Kit) for the children. The kit contains a computer game, animation film, puppetry and comics. This product has received accolades from DFID, United Kingdom and has won the prestigious award – “Manthan Award South Asia 2008 for best e-content for development” and is also being utilized by various national & international NGOs and State AIDS Control Societies for their adolescent health education programs.
About Plan
Plan’s vision is of a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies, which respect people’s rights and dignity.
Plan India is a child-centered development organization that aims to promote Child Rights and improve the quality of life of vulnerable children. Plan India is a part of Plan International and currently works in 68 countries. In India, Plan works in 11 states and has directly impacted lives of over a million children and their families since 1979 and empowered them to realize their potential.
Our child centered community development interventions focus on Child Protection and Child Participation, Children in Difficult Circumstances, Health, Education, HIV / AIDS, Early Childhood Care and Development, Water and Environment Sanitation, Disaster Preparedness, Household Economic and Social Security and Community Governance.
The basis of Plan’s work lies in its commitment to the principle of equality and rights, developing the capacity of civil society to enable them to meet their needs and replicating successful models that have worked.
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