There was a visible presence for China during AIDS 2010, which included a delegation of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) from the country. Chinese officials also presented on the government’s work on HIV/AIDS, which elicited critical feedback from activists. In this article from the HIV/AIDS Policy and Law Review, conference attendees Sara L. M. Davis and Li Dan outline the main human rights issues in China’s response to HIV/AIDS.
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This post is based on the presentation that Asia Catalyst scholarship recipient Zhao Gang from Kang Xin
Home, a drug user NGO based in Yunnan, China, gave at the International AIDS
Conference in Vienna this July. Kang Xin Home (pronounced Kang
Shin) aims to bring together Chinese people living with HIV (PLHIV), injecting
drug users (IDU), and methadone treatment personnel in order to promote
HIV/AIDS prevention, self-help and mutual support. Kang Xin aims to reduce the impact of HIV/AIDS
on their community, improve the quality of life
for drug users and PLHIV, and promote social equality.
The Situation of drug users
There are several main problems that drug users face in their daily life
which impact their ability to build an organization. Long-term drug abuse leads
to low self esteem. Drug users in our area lack stable employment and therefore
a secure livelihood. They are marginalized and lack support and trust from the
community they live in. The resulting instability makes it difficult for them
to integrate into society. Grassroots nongovernmental organizations (NGO) can
benefit drug users and give them hope through both the services they provide
and the opportunity to get active. However, organizing drug users faces some
distinct challenges that I would like to discuss here. This discussion is part
of a process to actively find solutions and to build sustainable organizations
by and for drug users in China.
On July 5th, China convened the first meeting of the Red Ribbon Forum,
a gathering of government officials, NGOs and experts to discuss AIDS and human
rights concerns. Mark Heywood, the chair of the UNAIDS Theme Group on HIV/AIDS
and Human Rights, delivered a speech calling for more space for civil society. During
an intense – and in China, unprecedented – discussion period, civil society
representatives raised frank concerns about a range of human rights issues,
including ongoing restrictions on civil society, and demands for compensation
for the blood scandal that transmitted HIV to thousands of villagers. The full
text of Heywood’s speech follows.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria seems to be casting a wide net in its search for new expert reviewers of funding proposals. This might be an opportunity for AIDS activists to get a bit more input into the way funds get disbursed… Anyway, check out the call for applicants, below.
by Rudhy Sinyo
Recently, Indonesia’s health services have begun to scale
up the implementation of harm reduction in Surabaya. From a positive
standpoint, government support for this program is improving,
though there are down sides as well.
