Persons living with HIV and Aids have human rights too and ensuring those rights are afforded to HIV and Aids patients is the purpose of a two day seminar on stigma and discrimination. It is being held at the Radisson Hotel and the sessions are being facilitated by HIV+ activist Rodrigo Pascal. PAHO’s technical advisor in Belize Sandra Jones and PAHO’s regional human rights advisor Javier Vasquez explained the reason for the seminar.
Sandra Jones, Technical Advisor - PAHO
“There are various regional and international conventions that as a country we have signed on to and most of the time we are not aware of what these conventions are and so this workshop is to basically put them out on the table for people to be aware of them and as we continue to address HIV/Aids for which the country has developed a policy, the next step forward we will be able to integrate those, the whole human rights approach in the policy but also into the delivery of services to people living with the HIV infection.”
Javier Vasquez, Human Rights Advisor - PAHO
“We are hoping to facilitate a network of public health officials, civil society organizations, family members, members of the judiciary and congress that could discuss strategies to protect effectively the human rights and fundamental freedoms of persons living with HIV but especially linking health as a right with other fundamental rights of persons living with HIV.”
The workshop ends tomorrow.
