Empowerment for HIV Positive Migrants and Spouses

How Bill Gates Blew $258 million in India's HIV Corridor

2009-07-06T00:57:00.000-07:00

The article below is well done and quite important. There is also a need to document the impact that Gates programs have had in India on organizations of people living with HIV/AIDS and on collectives of sex workers. If anyone is interested in these subjects, please contact Steve Baird at baird.steve@gmail.com.

How Bill Gates Blew $258 million in India's HIV Corridor
Forbes India Magazine of 19 June, 2009

The purpose was noble, the money generous. But the software mogul's charity for HIV prevention in India has failed to make a lasting impact.

On a humid afternoon, former sex worker Fathima (name changed) welcomes a group of illiterate women - still in the trade and needing protection from HIV - into the Mukta clinic in Pune. As a "peer educator," it's her job to convey to them the message of safety. But the visitors shuffle tentatively as expensive-looking posters in English paper the walls around them.

Why would a clinic serving illiterate visitors use more English than Indian languages?

The answer lies in where that money comes from. The Pune clinic is part of a network one hundred-plus non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working under the umbrella of Avahan, India's largest HIV prevention initiative. Avahan, or "call to action," is a brain childof the world's largest philanthropist: Bill Gates.

Gates had announced the 10-year, $100-million initiative to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS in India during his much heralded visit to the country in November 2002. This was to be the largest of its kind for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The timing couldn't have been more appropriate. After nearly two decades of piecemeal efforts to counter HIV, India was hurtling towards an AIDS epidemic. Millions of poor people exposed themselves to the dreaded virus due to a lack of awareness. Government agencies and NGOs didn't have the money to preach safety or treat the infected. Gates showed his seriousness by later raising the budget to $258million.

Seven years later, back at the Pune clinic, Fathima has counseled the women, given them the sheaths of safety and sent them back. It is time to worry about the future. The bad news is Avahan is ready to pack and go; and Fathima is set to lose her income. She doesn't want to slip back into prostitution. At the age of 45, she doesn't have much of a career there anyway.

When it started on the ground in 2003, Avahan set for itself three goals: Arrest the spread of HIV/AIDS in India, expand the program from the initial six states to across the nation, and develop a model that the government can adopt and sustain so that the project could be passed on to it. More than five years later, Avahan hasn't achieved any of these goals. Doubtless, the initiative has made a dent into the HIV/AIDS problem, but the impact is marginal for a bill of $258 million. And now Avahan is leaving, handing over the reins to the government-run National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO), which doesn't want to inherit it. It is too expensive for the budget-starved establishment that is as nimble as a sloth. If NACO takes over, it will try to prune the costs of the program. Salaries for peer educators will go.

A Five-Star Initiative

When Gates Foundation got down to work in India, the priority was clear. It decided to hire the best minds in business to run its initiatives using sound principles of management. Avahan was ready to spend what it takes to get the best bosses and started its search at McKinsey, the consulting powerhouse. The recruiters zeroed in on Ashok Alexander, who had spent 17 years turning Indian businesses into global challengers. "They made me an offer I couldn't refuse," Alexander recalls, sitting at his plush office in New Delhi. "I liked the ambitious arch of the HIV/AIDS program and it was a chance for me to do something new."

Soon, the 15-member team was in place. Ten of them had come from a private-sector background. The team members tackled HIV/AIDS much as they would a problem at McKinsey. Alexander's office is papered with data and maps containing hundreds of coloured dots plotting the disease across the country. The argot is sheer B-school: Avahan is a "venture," its HIV/AIDS prevention program a "franchise," the sex worker the "consumer."

The classical business principles helped Avahan start on a big scale in six states simultaneously. But the lack of public health experience also led to a compromise on quality. Tejaswi Sevekari, director at Saheli, a sex workers' collective for HIV/AIDS in Pune, remembers observing the kinks during her stint at Pathfinder International, an NGO that works with Avahan. Data collection and reporting were entirely in English and had no pictures. Five years later, the scene is the same; the project hasn't fully given up on English though no "consumer" understands the language.

Avahan operated in a pyramid, with Alexander and his team overseeing the work of more than 100 NGOs. The lack of practical experience at the top manifested itself in different ways. When Avahan introduced sleek mobile vans to bring clinics directly to the brothels, the expensive-looking vehicles were sometimes met with intense suspicion. At the Mukta clinic, Dr. Laxmi Mali says sex workers initially thought the van was from the police or the government. They refused help.

False Moves

The early missteps are largely anecdotal. But in 2005, an internal evaluation showed a big portion of Avahan's efforts had gone to waste. As many as 31,000 community members had been contacted by Avahan's outreach program, but only 11,000 actually visited the clinics. The Avahan executives had assumed the peer educators would already know what the prevention services were without explanation; the reality was they didn't.

Avahan's craving for scale also meant it overshot quite a bit. It started with a bang in six states, with 50 sites for truckers in the south. But by mid-2005, only 12 percent of truck drivers were even aware of their services, and only 7 percent took advantage of them. This forced Avahan to reduce the sites to 20. For similar reasons, Avahan's 6,000 sexually transmitted infection (STI) centers were brought down to just 800.

Alexander's team tried to fix the glitches. For example, Avahan tried to allay the fears of sex workers (such as those who had met the mobile van with suspicion) by hiring them to act as intermediaries between the programme and communities. An insider could be more persuasive. Good idea, but Avahan's decision to pay them a salary has come in for criticism, because other NGOs can't recruit sex workers as volunteers.

A series of evaluations published in the AIDS Journal in 2008 show that the jury is still out on the program's impact. The evaluations, funded by the Gates Foundation, were mostly on the methods of data collection. One study, which sought to determine whether Avahan was responsible for the decline in HIV prevalence in Karnataka, failed to prove that it played a key role.

Where Has All the Money Gone?

At the core of Avahan's failure to make a serious difference to India's fight against AIDS is the way it spent money. It was an expensive operation, never tired of throwing money at the problem. In a country where a branded condom sells for just 10 cents, what did Avahan spend on? It's difficult to say because Avahan's finances are largely opaque. Avahan's outlets sell five million condoms a month and distribute another 10 million. Asked how so much could be spent on condoms, Alexander laughs, saying, "It's a bit more complicated than that." Probed further, Alexander says he doesn't know the financials off-hand, nor can he give them later.

Travel would have been one drain. Jonty Rajagopalan, Avahan Program Officer from 2006 to 2008, says she would take flights every month from her base in Hyderabad to her focus areas in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu, instead of being based in a focus area. Another large chunk: salaries. Alexander's annual package is $424,894, the second-highest in the foundation globally, not including the presidents and operating officers. Avahan's targeting intervention (TI) officers are also paid three or four times what a typical NACO TI officer is paid.

Avahan's marketing was done in style too. Eldred Tellis, head of Sankalp, an HIV/AIDS-focused Mumbai NGO that has worked with Avahan, says he has seen a lot of money go into fancy publications on high-quality paper, reporting the programme's work. Very little went to the people on the ground. Vijay Mahajan, chairman, Basix, a microfinance institution, comments on Avahan: "There is too much money and too many really smart people with too little coming out."

An Uncertain Torchbearer

Knowing that it would have to inherit the project, NACO sent out evaluation teams to sites in four states to get some clarity on costs. NACO's head, Dr. Sujatha Rao, says the evaluation threw up one clear message: Large parts of the program are not sustainable by NACO. "We told them you can't create a huge number of assets and then just leave and expect the government to take over everything," says Rao.

But Alexander disagrees. "We are not perpetual funders. We try to be catalytic," he says, ebulliently confident that the HIV/AIDS epidemic will soon be contained, with or without the foundation. Either way, it will have to be - Avahan is now repositioning, focusing on maternal and newborn health. Ashok Row Kavi, consultant for UNAIDS and chairman of Humsafar Trust for gay and transgender health, says Avahan's expectations were unrealistic. "They wanted HIV to disappear in five years. For that to happen, a lot of people would have to die."

NACO's annual budget is Rs. 1,100 crore ($225 million), none of it spent on Avahan currently. Rao just can't find enough money to continue the project. "We can never offer a replicable model. And if we are unable to sustain the programme, all of their effort will be for naught," she says, shaking her head. When probed about the difficulties of handing over the massive program to the government, Alexander says the transfer is going just fine. Kavi differs; he says that the transfer discussions between NACO and Gates Foundation are "running into a brick wall right now. Costs need to be brought down, but they can't figure out how." He also fears Avahan's now-experienced MBA-graduate TIs, facing shrinking salaries, will depart. The question of running air-conditioned clinics like Avahan doesn't even arise.

The biggest hole in quality will arise where it can hurt most. Hussain Makandar, HIV counselor at the Mukta clinic, is worried about condoms; the ones from Avahan lubricate; the ones from NACO break and the sex workers stop using them. Alexander insists that only a 10th of the project will transfer to the government this year and the rest will happen slowly over the next five. "We're doing a transition program. We're not saying, 'here's the program, and we're off.'" But NACO and Mukta officials, among others, are confused over the timeframe.

So, the final report card on Avahan:

Goal 3: Develop a model for HIV prevention that can be implemented by the government sustainably. NACO's resounding vote: Not achieved.

Goal 2: Expand the programme nationwide. Avahan could not go beyond the six states it started with. Not achieved.

Goal 1: Arrest the spread of the disease. The number of Indians living with HIV/AIDS has been officially corrected from 5.1 million to 2.4 million. This was a statistical change, not an improvement in health. Impact not known.

Back in the great Indian sex bazaar, prostitution is a growth industry and condom an exception. "New faces keep coming in every month (to the brothels)," says Dr. Mali. "Twenty percent of the people we now see are infected, the same as when we started."

Day 1 UNAIDS PCB Meeting - 22 June 2009

2009-07-02T22:23:00.000-07:00

Opening Plenary Remarks

Chair of session:

“Discussion on the migrants and mobile populations [MMPs] is crucial as they often excluded from the agenda of HIV/AIDS prevention, focusing on various intersections including vulnerability and human rights of migrants.”

“National policies and programs need to include particular groups such as MMPs in order to address their vulnerability.”

Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS Secretariat:

“Mobility does not make people vulnerable; it’s the situation that had made them vulnerable to HIV/AIDS. The myth of migrants bringing in the infection had hampering the stigmatisation on MMPs.”

“We are talking about real people, real problems and real issues here…”

Challenges: to try to recognize the diversity on the MMPs issues.

Thematic Segment – “People on the Move – Forced displacement and migrant populations”

2009-07-02T21:51:00.000-07:00

Panel 1 – Universal Access and HIV-related Restrictions on Entry, Stay and Residence

HIV-related restrictions were most put in place in 1980s. Such restrictions are out of line with today’s reality because:
• HIV is everywhere.
• World had become smaller.
• Travel and migration are important.
• HIV treatment had already enhanced and made PLHIV live longer with great productivity and good health condition.
• Universal Access committed by the government means Universal Access for both nationals and non-nationals.

Restrictions require political will and leadership to eliminate. Armenia and Tajikistan had removed the restrictions in part, which means post it under different department other than immigration. Namibia, China, Ukraine and USA will lift the ban, while Czech Republic surprisingly had moved backward and add more PLHIV from some certain countries into their restriction list.

Panel 2 – Universal Access, Mobility & Labour

The focus need to be put on employment-related mobility and economic migrants. Inclusion of internal migration in the discussion is essential because the issue is quite significant in some countries such as Viet Nam, Indonesia and India. Internal migration does not have any tracking system as the international migration through immigration ports.

Panel 3 – Universal Access and Humanitarian Situation & Forced Displacement

Issues faced in the context are still affected by armed conflicts and natural disasters which made the social and community networks fall apart as well as break down in institutional presence and support. Increasing rates of sexual violence due to displacement are leading to a much higher likelihood of contracting HIV. The need to include displaced populations in the national strategies and provision of access to health are severely compromised.

Panel 4 – Universal Access and Economic Drivers & Push Factors for Mobility

Economic migration is often caused by globalisation, based on new needs, new ideas and new values in migration. People migrate in search o better living or keeping themselves away from unsafe situation such as abuses, conflicts, disasters, etc. Some people migrate because it is the tradition in their family or society, some other migrate seeking for new adventure.

Overall, it was concluded that protection of rights and promotion of health services for migrants and mobile populations are in utmost necessity.

How mobility affects HIV vulnerability?

2009-07-02T21:47:00.000-07:00

Especially for undocumented migrants and refugees, being hidden due to their legal status is seriously increases stigma against them and hinders access to prevention, care and treatment.

Lacks of information on HIV/AIDS, as well as STIs are often the factors that migrants have. They were not informed about prevention of HIV and STIs.

There are factors in the whole migrations that become the background of risks for migrants. People need to understand the history of why migrants were not using condoms, for example, that made them vulnerable to HIV. There are a lot of factors, including economical factors. Among other factors, culture and tradition within the migrants’ community are also push factors for their risky behaviour. Peer pressure plays an important role in encouraging the conduct of risky behaviour.

Other push factors that often mentioned are loneliness and homesickness. The needs of companionship and biological urgency also plays important role for them to get involve in casual sex relationship, and this often has great impact to their relationship with their spouses, partners and family back home. Nevertheless, the impact on family who is left behind requires extra attention as well. The spouses and partners are as vulnerable as the migrants themselves. Carrying the same reasons of loneliness and needs of companionship, spouses and partners often get involved into casual sex relationship that made them vulnerable to HIV. The existence of HIV among the family is upsetting the family and personal relationship.

Another push factor that considered made migrants and their spouses vulnerable to HIV is the “single entry” migration policy in many destination countries had made migrants unable to take their family along to migrate causing the depression, psychological as well as biological problems both for migrants and their spouses.

What are the barriers to Universal Access caused by HIV-related restrictions?

Misconception and prejudice on HIV due to lack of information still caused stigmatisation on PLHIV. There is a trend for PLHIV who travels to countries with restrictions to stop their treatment [ART] to avoid entry ban. This step caused resistance to the treatment.

Universal Access had been misinterpreted in many ways. Every country has their own definition of Universal Access. Many of countries define it as access to health for their nationals only, and seeing the non-nationals need in healthcare as economic burden or budget to the country.

The restriction is also considered raising false sense of security to the nationals because it interprets HIV as a foreign problem brought in by migrants or foreigners to the country, despite the fact that the epidemic is already in the country. Many of foreigners who migrate to countries with restrictions as workers or students failed to follow the consistency of treatment because they kept changing clinics, doctors and treatment using different names and identity to protect their true identity. PLHIV are forced to go around the system and become the criminal for disclosing their status for health reasons. And the lack of referral system in the home-country of migrants had also caused inconsistency of treatment.

The government of Brazil thought that health services should never have any relations with private information such as nationality and HIV status. Thus, Brazil has a long term treatment program aimed not only for nationals but also for non-nationals, documented and undocumented, residing or visiting Brazil. According to Brazil, it is impossible for one country to fall into bankruptcy just because of the inclusion of treatment for migrants in their national budget.

All countries have to remember that all UN member states were signed on to the International Health Regulations which does not single out any diseases, including HIV. This regulation must be the baseline of advocacy for treatment provision in the country. Influential countries such as USA and China should take on the leadership on this regard and be a good role model for other countries when they actually eliminate the restrictions.

PLHIV have to be able to work in order to enable them accessing treatment. Denial of work permit and visa will only limit their access to work and source of income which affecting their health conditions.

What are the concrete actions that government, CSOs and International Organisations can do in the next year to further the elimination of HIV-related restrictions?

Government should revisit the restriction policy with better understanding that by implementing the restrictions, they do not remotely protect their nationals because HIV is not a foreign problem. The review also has to be based on empirical and better data collection, sharing experience and separating health services from the immigration control. Especially for EU countries, there is a need to focus on the Czech Republic since this country is going to the opposite direction. The government and regional authorities have to take the lead in removing the restrictions within the region. Since EU countries endorsed the UNAIDS recommendations regarding travel restrictions, a significant step towards Czech Republic need to be taken.

Additional steps to engage broader range of stakeholders than just HIV-focused organisations is necessary. Particularly engagement with Human Rights-based organisations who can work together to hold the government accountable is highly suggested because HIV now had overlapped with a lot of other issues outside health.

Multi-pronged strategy that looks at building internal and external pressure on eliminating the restrictions is recommended. Political will and leadership from the government is essential.

The policies on access to treatment for immigrants need to be strengthened both by governments and NGOs. CSOs and NGOs should advocate on integrating HIV prevention and treatment into the agenda of strong migrants’ organisations in the countries of destination as well as advocating for inclusion of migrants and mobile populations into the agenda of National HIV/AIDS Prevention in the sending countries. Apart from that, government should conduct training on HIV/AIDS and the impact of travel restrictions to Immigration Officials in order to raise awareness.

What can we do to make sure that we achieve some of the points mentioned?

Global Fund as a major funding agency could encourage grants to extent access to services for people on the move.
Stop ignoring the evidence and use them strategically to impact at critical moment in political mobilisations.
Engage Trade Unions and employers’ organisations. Link up with the upcoming International Labour Conference which theme is “HIV/AIDS in the World of Work”. Migrants and mobile populations should be specifically included in the documents for the conference.
Build and raise awareness on separating health services and immigration control.

Day 2 UNAIDS PCB Meeting - 23 June 2009

2009-07-02T21:09:00.000-07:00

During the report back from the thematic segment, NGO delegates made a statement that NGO report will come with the decision points on the issues that raised repeatedly i.e. inclusion of MMPs in the agenda of the National HIV/AIDS Prevention.

Key message:

“Mobility itself does not make migrants vulnerable nor facing risk in HIV, it is the whole situation which is the reoccurring on lack of treatment, care and support provision and protection for MMPs that make migrants vulnerable and facing risk in HIV.”

Remarks and Comments:

“MSM, sex worker, youth and transgender were not clearly reflected in the key messages during the report back.”

India was very concerned on how to reach migrant workers in the informal sectors. And as a country with a high rate of a cross-border migration, India suggested to review the topic on cross-border migration.

Comprehensive and cultural-sensitive programs are essentials, therefore Iran recommended UNAIDS to develop a Core Working Group to design the programs on MMPs.

France was expecting EU mobilisation in eliminating the restrictions as well as further distinction over migrants, refugees and forcibly displaced people. Countries without restrictions should be more involved in influencing other countries to eliminate the ban. Human rights should be the base of approaches in eliminating the travel restrictions.

Report of UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibe

2009-07-02T20:44:00.000-07:00

Crisis, Opportunity & Transformation: AIDS Responses at the Crossroads

The world is facing a huge crisis at the moment, HIV is now “competing” with other crucial issues such as H1N1, food crisis, global warming and poverty, with 2 million deaths in a year.

UNAIDS had laid out several key objectives:
• Integrated HIV and TB services.
• End two-tiered system of treatment.
• Ensure people in need are on treatment.
• Urgent need to ensure affordable treatment.
• Break the trajectory on HIV epidemic.
• Focus on HIV prevention.
• Combination of prevention.
• Effective Harm Reduction Program.
• HIV prevention.
• Sexual transmission of HIV.
• Reducing sexual transmission of HIV.
• Halting sexual transmission of HIV.
• Focus on reaching more people most at risk.
• Engage country by country.
• Protect and promote human rights.
• Remove punitive law that blocks AIDS responses.
• Rights-based approaches to national policies on IDUs and migrants.
• Confront discrimination and decriminalisation of HIV and PLHIV.

HIV Prevention Research on the Cure
• Optimising and expanding partnerships.
• Intensive consultation.
• Strengthening partnerships.

• Partnerships with women’s movement by forming a committee and move the agenda on women forward, addressing women, girls, gender equality and HIV.

There is a need in the UNAIDS to transform itself into a more effective organisation that focus on limited set of priorities, accountable and carry clear objectives. Clarification on roles and links with other organisations are also necessary to be done as well as innovations in business practices. Internal changes within the Secretariat aimed to strengthen the accountability by establishing new department, evaluate the performance of ethic and organisation; and conduct second independent evaluation.

Report by Chairperson – Ethiopia

2009-07-02T20:39:00.001-07:00

The world is severely facing crisis at the moment. Even though President Obama had committed to continue PEPFAR, other urgent issues such as H1N1 had affected the agenda of HIV. WHO will revisit the treatment guideline since there were so many concerns raised regarding treatment, while the World Bank will release a report on “The Impact of Financial Crisis on HIV” in a few weeks. This report will be a good baseline to do advocacy accordingly to the statement from WFP which mentioned that the economic crisis had a great impact on poverty that affects the livelihood of PLHIV.

Unified Budget and Workplan [UBW]

2009-07-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

The focus is on vulnerable groups including mother & children, youth, migrants. It is essential to include those groups, but strengthening health system is another important area that needs extra attention. Efforts to link the work of HIV with Sexual & Reproductive Health [SRH] is necessary to ensure the provision of treatment, care and support of SRH for women living with HIV.

Country with concentrated epidemic was given more focus on programs for IDUs, sex workers and MSM. UNAIDS must continue its work to protect human rights of PLHIV.

HIV versus global crisis i.e. H1N1, global warming and financial crisis

HIV is not the only issue with urgency at the moment. The fact that H1N1 had attack most part of the world, the global warming and financial crisis that struck the whole world had drown HIV into the lower level of priority at the moment than those issues. However, HIV should be treated as an emerging issue due to its close relation to issues mentioned above.

NGO Delegation’s Report

2009-07-02T20:35:00.000-07:00

The report of NGO delegation was focused on the barriers to achieving of the Universal Access based on 380 online surveys and 35 Focus Group Discussion of key networks.

Barriers to achieving the Universal Access were identified as:
• 2/3 of the respondents said stigma and discrimination is the key barrier.
• Identifying and reaching the key populations.
• Criminalisation needs extra attention.
• Violence.
• Lack of evidence-based prevention for IDUs.
• Lack of services.

Hepatitis-C co-infection was to be discussed as a part of HIV treatment, while implications of financial crisis, especially regarding concerns on how countries are going to meet the Universal Access’ target in 2010 with the current crisis situation is yet to be further discussed separately.

UNAIDS needs to ensure that PLHIV are not excluded, detained or deported, especially with no access to treatment, even in the country that has no travel restrictions. USA expressed a strong support on the inclusion of non-discriminatory approaches as methodology to meet the Universal Access’ goals and to be the 4th pillar of the Universal Access as proposed by the NGO delegates. The UK addressed that whatever approaches that used as methodology, it is necessary to ensure that it does not go out of the track or go out of the initial prevention and CST program planning. Furthermore, incorporation of human rights elements in the HIV responses is essentials.

There were a lot of supports on stigma and discrimination from the member states, but it needs to be framed correctly i.e. asking when do they start to do it.

Day 3 UNAIDS PCB Meeting - 24 June 2009

2009-07-02T20:29:00.000-07:00

HIV Prevention Among Injecting Drug Users

Highlight:

"In 2008 there were numbers of IDUs in 148 countries around the world and the HIV infection among IDUs recorded and reported in 120 countries."

The Harm Reduction Programs that is run in many countries offered a series of package such as:
• Needle Syringe Program
• Substitution program [opioid]
• VCT
• ART
• Prevention and treatment of STIs
• Condoms distribution for IDUs and partners
• Targeted information
• Vaccination and treatment of Hep C
• Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of TB

Key emerging challenges for this area is that there are needs of forming and recognizing special sub-groups of drug users such as female drug users, young drug users, migrant drug users, MSM drug users, prison setting drug use as well as sex work and drug use.

Japan claimed that they were not adopting the NSP and substitution program because NSP is considered as encouraging the using of drugs while substitution program is considered not effective and causing other form of dependency. The implementation of the programs should be based on the situation and circumstances within the region, even within the country. Based on that, Japan requested UNAIDS to review and redraft the decision points. Russia shared that basic approaches should be a moral change, especially for young people to keep them away from drugs. There is a clash between the moralists and scientists in tackling this issue within the Russian Federation countries. Scientific-based finding regarding opioid therapy and NSP are not necessarily the best solutions to tackle the drug use problems. Therefore, Russia is supporting Japanese Delegates and claimed that the tackling of this issue should not be carried out in such a rush.

The NGO Delegation from Europe questioned on how much UNAIDS and the co-sponsors had spent on drug use. All interventions made should be done with the consultation with the key populations and not based on the benefit of certain parties, countries or institutions. A proposal to include spouses and partners of IDUs in a more comprehensive prevention program was addressed. This proposal was endorsed by France with emphasizing on prevention on sexual transmission among IDUs and their spouses/partners.

Denmark, together with its constituents [Switzerland, Austria and Nordic Countries] addressed the concern of low services for IDUs. They considered the access to NSP and information is crucial for all drug users. In addition, they also addressed that the term ‘harm reduction’ is adequate to signify that illicit drugs is harmful, therefore this term should be widely familiarise. Another thing regarding addiction that they mentioned was the need to consider alcohol as one of the substances that add the vulnerability of HIV through sex transmission. Above all, responses to the issues should be under human rights base.

Strengthening the statement from France, Netherlands and its constituents [Belgium, Luxemburg and Portugal] expressed that the Universal Access for IDUs is still very low and that needs to be scaled up based on best practices. Harm Reduction program had evidently demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing the HIV prevalence among drug users, therefore Netherlands and its constituents is calling for designing comprehensive programs for IDUs and in fully support to the recommendations made by the NGO Delegations.

Brazil made comments that access to health is hampered by the attitude of the health workers towards the drug users. Furthermore, even though the Harm Reduction Policies are in place, there is always a huge outcry from the conservative groups within the country. However, Harm Reduction should be explicitly mentioned in the decision point’s document. Brazil specifically sees that there is a need of a clear framework in achieving the goal to reduce HIV prevalence and wants to see the follow up of this issue in the next PCB.

United Kingdom stated that ensuring rapid expand of Harm Reduction Program in the most affected countries is crucial. Apart from that, there is an urgent need to address stigma and discrimination against people who use drugs because it will be impossible to achieve the goals as long as people who use drugs are still criminalised and stigmatised. However, it has to be acknowledged that there is also a significant gap in the drug use trends stated in the Drug Policy Report.

United States of America once again raised the issue of ‘Harm Reduction’ terminology. The UNAIDS, UNODC and WHO Technical Guide had mentioned the term ‘Harm Reduction’ even though the difficulty around the usage of that term had been discussed formerly. The term is considered encouraging the use of illicit drugs and therefore the USA cannot endorse the use of that term. USA requested explicit explanations on the term ‘Harm Reduction’ and would like to see the possibility to revise it and move forward with the prevention agenda.

INPUD expressed their concern about how people who use drugs are often being blamed as the failure of the development of policies. Based on that, INPUD calls UNAIDS to develop integrated responses on treatment of HIV and Hep-C, research for psycho-social support and involvement of people who use drugs in the assessments of all UNAIDS’ outcomes.

Cooperation with Global Fund: Support Mechanisms for African States

2009-07-02T20:25:00.000-07:00

Highlight:
“Solutions must be sustainable on both financial and capacity grounds”

Challenges faced in investing in African States:

Lack of strategic interactions and dialogue between Global Fund and PCB members from the African States.
Effective participation constrained mostly by language issue.

Way forward:
• Improve communication.
• Regional Consultation to ensure effective involvement of the African States.
• Increased number of delegations from African region in the PCB.
• Availability documents in French.

El Salvador with its constituents from Central America addressed that apart from French, the documents of PCB should also be translated into Spanish, considering more than 500 million people in the world speaks Spanish.

The NGO Delegates from Africa supported the decision points made, but still need more details on how the Regional Consultation will have meaningful involvement of the CSOs. It was also addressed that the national and regional processes need to continue to uphold the meaningful involvement of CSOs.

Global Fund explained that a policy paper is currently in the developing stage and will be presented in the meeting in September. Incorporated in the policy paper are option for funding, focal points and several of other inputs.

Decision points:
• Establish a position for an independent communication focal point at the P3 level.
• Provide support and funding for 4 [four] Regional Consultation Meetings.
• Fund the participation of 52 delegates to the meeting.
• Provide funding for 5 [five] additional delegates from Africa to the PCB meeting.
• Implement the efficient and effective mechanisms to translate all governance documents from English to French.

Gender Sensitivity of AIDS Responses

2009-07-02T20:03:00.000-07:00

Women, Girls, Gender Equality and HIV
It was requested that UNAIDS provides assistance within the country level to accelerate the support on the ongoing work and result achieved.

MSM, Transgender and HIV
Framework:
• To enhance and furthering human rights.
• Strengthen and promote evidence-based data.
• Strengthen and ensuring better responses.

The NGO Delegations from Latin America and the Caribbean expressed that the discussion about women started far too late. It should be done 10 years a go or even in the beginning of the epidemic. The involvement of men in gender equality is important but women’s empowerment is a crucial part of the intervention, while human rights-based approaches are a necessity. The framework introduced by UNAIDS is not involving women at the grassroots levels. It is also necessary to include the different situation and background of women in the framework document. The delegate indicated that there were several missing points such as sexual & reproductive health and rights, violence and sex education. Thus, the delegates recommend forming an Advisory Group for women’s framework that will develop and monitor the plan.

Zambia expressed the need in conducting trainings on HIV/AIDS in the emergency situation. Another thing highlighted by Zambia was that they have a law against MSM and currently a lot of advocacy had been done in order to change the law.

There were numerous suggestions in terms on the framework which consists of importance of inclusion of experts and grassroots people with life experiences in program designing as well as in the advisory group; recognition on women’s diversity; the importance of the framework to address particular groups such as migrants, transgender and MSM in the less developed countries.

ILO specifically addressed that they were working towards the new standard of the code of practice on HIV at the workplace with recognition of gender diversity.

“One UN” Country Pilot

2009-07-02T20:02:00.001-07:00

“The biggest challenge in fighting AIDS is in the mindset of people and on how to change their attitude…”

“Delivering as One” has several key issues as mentioned below:
• Commitment UN leadership at Head Quarter level.
• National leadership and ownership need to be scaled up.
• Harmonisation and simplification of business practice within the UN bodies.
• Increased transaction costs.
• Lack of clear accountability and incentive for agency staff.
• Capacity of UN agencies.
• Adherence to the Paris Declaration agenda.

Conclusions:
• ‘Delivering as One’ initiative is working.
• UNAIDS served to be a useful model.
• Need to sustain the programs.

The NGO Delegations requested clarification on the difference role of the UNAIDS HQ and Regional Offices, especially anything related to technical assistance. Better communication needs to be built.

Zambia mentioned that the document of ‘Delivering as One’ did not reflect any impacts in financial sector. Meanwhile, The UK and its constituents [Ireland and Italy] expressed the need for agencies and HQ to reconfirm their commitment accordingly to the TOR. On the other hand, Turkey and its constituents [Australia, Canada, Greece and New Zealand] addressed that there is a need to see the developing of a more comprehensive program implementation indicators, while Switzerland recalled keeping the UN reform process on top of priority and Netherlands together with its constituents [Belgium, Luxemburg and Portugal] requested UNAIDS to maximise its engagement in developing countries. ‘Delivering as One’ can learn a lot, on the other hands there must impacts that change the environment. France and its constituents [Germany, Lichtenstein and Monaco] mentioned that mainstreaming and harmonising the programs in the field is fully supported. However, the document did not practically present the actions to be taken and further details on the costing should be discussed separately.

The Second Independent Evaluation on PCB

2009-07-02T20:00:00.000-07:00

Oversight objectives:
• A credible and independent evaluation.
• A high quality, forward-looking report relevant to the future of UNAIDS

There is a need to streamline the working methods of the PCB in line with existing resolutions, establishing the Joint Programme as well as implementing decision by PCB and respecting the role & responsibility of Executive Director. Decided to establish an ad-interim Working Group [WG] to review the working methods of the PCB and prepare proposals for the 25th PCB meeting. Taking into consideration the conclusions and recommendation of the 2nd Independent Evaluation. The WG should be established by the PCB Bureau following to the composition of 2 member states per region and 2 NGO representatives.

ICAAP9 BALI

2009-01-19T19:43:00.001-08:00

For more information, please visit the 9th ICAAP website at www.icaap9.org

=========
INVITATION

On behalf of the local organizing committee and our Indonesian and
international partners, we would like to invite you to join us for the
9th International Congress on AIDS in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP 9),
to be held in Bali, Indonesia from 9-13 August 2009.

The Congress Theme is Empowering People, Strengthening Networks. It
wishes to bring people from various backgrounds in Asia and the
Pacific region to meet and share knowledge, skills, ideas, research
findings related to HIV and AIDS. This is also be an opportunity for
people to provide mutual support and make stronger commitments in
their fight towards the epidemic.

For more information, please visit the 9th ICAAP website at www.icaap9.org

============
REGISTRATION
We encourage online registration through the congress website at www.icaap9.org

Deadline for Early Bird Registration: Saturday, 28 February 2009
Deadline for Regular Registration: Sunday, 31 May 2009
Late Registration Charge applies: 1 June 2009
Deadline for Media Registration: Tuesday, 30 June 2009

For online registration and more information, please visit the 9th
ICAAP website at www.icaap9.org

============
CALL FOR ABSTRACT SUBMISSION
We encourage online submission through the congress website at www.icaap9.org
Deadline for Online Abstract Submission: Sunday, 15 March 2009
Late breaker Abstract Submission: Monday, 1 June 2009 – Tuesday, 30 June 2009

Congress Tracks (Scientific- Studies/Experien ce-based)
Track A: Understanding the Epidemic and Strengthening Prevention Efforts
Track B: Strengthening Partnership for Treatment, Care, and Support
Track C: AIDS in Context: Understanding and Addressing Socio-Cultural,
Economic and Political Determinants
Track D: Leadership and Broadening the Response

For online submission and more information, please visit the 9th ICAAP
website at www.icaap9.org

============
CALL FOR SKILLS BUILDING PROPOSAL
We encourage online submission through the congress website at www.icaap9.org
Deadline for Online Proposal Submission: Sunday, 15 March 2009
Skills Building tracks:
1. Leadership skills.
2. Organizational development and management.
3. Empowering infected and affected people to improve their quality
of life.
4. Strategy and education skills on HIV prevention, care and supports.
5. Resource mobilisations skills.

For online submission and more information, please visit the 9th ICAAP
website at www.icaap9.org

============
CALL FOR CULTURAL PERFORMANCE PROPOSAL
We encourage online submission through the congress website at www.icaap9.org
Deadline for Online Proposal Submission: Sunday, 15 March 2009
For online submission and more information, please visit the 9th ICAAP
website at www.icaap9.org

============
CALL FOR SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION
We encourage online submission through the congress website at www.icaap9.org
Deadline for Scholarship Application: Thursday, 30 April 2009

Scholarship Category:
1. Community Scholarships
2. Scientific Scholarships (for healthcare professionals, researchers,
and/or graduate students)
3. Media Scholarships
4. Youth Scholarships

For online submission and more information, please visit the 9th ICAAP
website at www.icaap9.org

============
SEE YOU IN BALI!

9th ICAAP Secretariat:
Menara Eksekutif 8th Floor
Jalan MH Thamrin Kav. 9, Jakarta 10330
INDONESIA

Phone: +62 21 39838845/46
Fax: +62 21 39838847
Website: http://www.icaap9. org
Email. secretariat@ icaap9.org

Update on TFEM

2009-01-19T18:29:00.000-08:00

NEW DEADLINE FORE RESEARCH
The dates mentioned below are the last day of every activity:

Final draft submission for Cambodia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka/MSC, Viet Nam: 22 January 2009
Analysis: 31 January 2009
Editing: 31 January 2009
Comments on analysis: 15 February 2009
Revision on analysis: 28 February 2009
Cover design: 28 February 2009
Final comments on analysis: 7 March 2009
Final revision: 15 March 2009
Draft of lay out: 31 March 2009
Final revision for lay out: 15 April 2009

International AIDS Conference - Mexico

2008-08-07T22:20:00.000-07:00

Ratri speaking on "HIV-related Travel Restrictions" at UNAIDS session

Ratri speaking on PEPFAR at Hot Topic Zone

Ratri speaking on "Redefining AIDS in Asia - Women's Perspective" at Women's Networking Zone

Brahm speaking at the Bridging Session on "Migration and Globalization"

Malu speaking at the Bridging Session on "Migration and Globalization"

Mara speaking at the session of "HIV and Mobility"

IAC Programmes

2008-07-09T23:27:00.000-07:00

Full programmes of Interational AIDS Conference 2008 can be located in the website
Here is the collated programmes:

INTERNATIONAL AIDS CONFERENCE 2008 PROGRAMMES
[under the theme of Migration, Mobile & Refugee Populations; HIV and Mobility; HIV-related Travel Restriction]

3 August 2008
09.00 – 11.00 Labour Migration & HIV: Emerging issues
11.00 – 13.00 Undermining Public Health & Human Rights: The US HIV Immigration and Travel Ban

4 August 2008
10.00 – 12.00 Mexican Migrants & HIV-AIDS
14.00 – 16.00 Redefining AIDS in Asia - Community Perspectives
Gender networking needs and opportunities Asian Networking Zone (7 Sisters)
Panel Discussion - Suksma Ratri, Anandi, Rico Gustav
14.30 – 16.00 Hidden Side Stigma & Discrimination
16.30 – 18.00 Mobile Population & Globalization [Bridging Session] - speakers: Malu Marin, Brahm Press

5 August 2008
11.00 – 12.30 Prevention Programmes with Female Sex Workers
12.30 – 14.30 Travel Restriction on PLHIV: Going Against The Grain of Human Rights & Public Health
14.30 – 16.00 - Scaling up HIV Testing & Counseling: A Human Rights & Public Imperative - speaker: Amara Quesada
- Mexico – US Migration and Vulnerability to HIV and AIDS
16.30 – 18.00 Access & Coverage in Resource Limited Setting

6 August 2008
10.45 - 12.00 Redefining AIDS in Asia [Women's Networking Zone] - speaker; Suksma Ratri
11.00 – 12.30 HIV-AIDS on The US – Mexico Border: A Multi MSM Community Approach to HIV-AIDS Prevention & Change
16.30 – 18.00 Fighting AIDS Under Fire: HIV Programming in Conflict and post-conflict Setting
17.00 – 18.30 Challenging HIV-related Travel Restriction [Global Village] - speaker: Suksma Ratri

7 August 2008
11.00 – 12.30 The Aftermath of War: Women, Children and Displaced Population
13.00 – 14.00 Vulnerabilities of Mobile and Refugee Populations - speaker: Amara Quesada

Poster Presentation:
Wednesday, 6 August 2008 - "Life or livelihood - not a clear choice for HIV positive Cambodian migrants in Thailand" by Brahm Press

TFEM Workshop on ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS BUILDING

2008-07-01T00:52:00.000-07:00

TFEM was conducting another skills building workshop in Bangkok on Advocacy and Communication. This workshop was held on June 27 - 29, 2008 and made lively by the participants from Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Thailand [Phanga and Mae Sod]. The workshop was actually a combination of advocacy, basic GIPA and communication skills.Greg Gray, the advisor of APN+ was sharing about the GIPA Principles to the participants. All participants had the chance to do discussion and brainstorming regarding GIPA, in order to see their understanding on the issue and also how to integrate the GIPA Principles into their works. The discussions were around What is GIPA? | Why GIPA? | What are the benefits? | Why GIPA is important for populations? | How does it suit migrant workers situation? | How can GIPA make a difference? |

In this opportunity, CARAM Asia also introduced their new look of brochures and their first Annual Report. The brochures had been designed in a more attractive and colourful themes. It contained brief information on CARAM Asia and its Task Forces.
There were a lot of interactive activities during the workshop as well as brainstorming. All the participants had to write "perceptions" on meta-cards and try to put it on the board and sort out accordingly to the similarities. The participants were learning on how to group the issues and avoid the repetitions as well as learn on how to identify same issues wrapped in different terms.

Grouping the migrant's issues based on country.

Grouping the issues based on similarities and themes. Apparently it wasn't THAT easy.... Joel [facilitator] was helping the participants on grouping the issues. These issues, later on, will be collated to be core messages from where the participants should create an advocacy plan.

It is always said that Regional Workshop had a lot of challenges including language barriers. But participants can always resolve the language barriers. We were not only building the capacity here, deeper than that, we were building friendship and family-hood here. And in friendship and family, there's no such thing as LANGUAGE BARRIER.

Apart from the language barriers and dozens of assignments, the participants were not just learning all the time. We had fun too! We had many games that brings us closer as family, and the good thing is, in these games, nobody cares whether you can speak English or not, because the most important thing was YOU NEED TO HAVE A GOOD LAUGH... :)

Every country had several chances to do presentations and everyone was paying full attention to each and every presentation made by other participants. A lot of questions, inputs and suggestions were made during this interactive sessions. It was, clearly, a learning process for everyone. And more over, it was also a forum to share.

During country discussions on action plan and advocacy plan, all participants got the chance to have full supervision and consultation from the facilitator. They can ask questions and consult their discussion result with the facilitator in order to get the best result to be presented. Furthermore, cross-discussion with other countries also very much encouraged. Learning from other country's experience has always been the best method for everyone to analyze and compare the results.

Finally, the presentation of Country Action Plan! All countries had to present their Action Plan. They are guided to produce the most simple and doable plan, and were expected to implement the plan as soon as they go back to their country.

Finally, everyone was happy to be in this workshop and excited to share the knowledge with their peers in the country......

International AIDS Conference 2008

2008-06-02T19:41:00.000-07:00

Programme Activities

In addition to the conference sessions, AIDS 2008 will feature a set of programme activities that are open to delegates as well as the public. The programme activities for AIDS 2008 will include:

The Global Village
The Global Village aims to intensify the involvement of affected and marginalized communities in the conference and in the global response to HIV/AIDS, in order to bring effective prevention and treatment to communities. Examples of activities include sessions, forums, oral presentations and awards; networking zones; NGO exhibition booths and marketplace booths.
Download the AIDS 2006 Global Village Monitoring and Evaluation Report.

The Youth Programme
The Youth Programme aims to strengthen the participation of youth and the profile of youth issues in the conference through activities such as a youth pavilion, an electronic youth bulletin, a youth media hub, youth presentation space, youth mentorship activities and a youth website.

The Cultural Programme
The Cultural Programme aims to highlight the role of art and culture in the response to and prevention of HIV/AIDS by means of visual arts, literature; film and video; performing arts and other activities.

Applications for the Global Village, youth and cultural programmes are now closed. Thank you for submitting your proposals, these will go through a peer-review process and notifications will be sent late April 2008.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Global Village globalvillage@aids2008.org
Youth Programme youth@aids2008.org
Cultural Programme culture@aids2008.org

Global Village

The Global Village will provide a space to share knowledge and skills, build coalitions, and promote interactive learning among communities living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, policymakers, researchers and other stakeholder groups.

The Global Village will strengthen and support the conference theme Universal Action Now. It will also use the vision of the Community Programme Committee (CPC) to guide the development of activities including the Youth and Cultural Programmes. Please see this website for more details.

Global Village Objectives:

Engage the most affected communities in the XVII International AIDS Conference through the Global Village programme, providing opportunities to raise priority issues and to create change on key challenges they face in responding to HIV/AIDS issues;
Host activities at the forefront of the debate surrounding key current HIV-related issues while at the same time provoking discussion on new and emerging challenges in the field;
Provide opportunities for change, by providing an environment for delegates and members of the public to learn and connect in ways that will enhance their work when they return home;
Provide space and opportunities for the creation of new or strengthened coalitions;
Provide opportunities and support for marginalized individuals and communities to organize; share lessons learned; advocate to influence policy and programme change; network including across sectors; deliver care, support and prevention programmes.
Promote regional efforts to strengthen the diverse communities’ involvement and participation in shaping region’s agenda.
Provide opportunities to remind us of our own responsibilities and to remind donors, Governments, the UN and other international agencies of their commitments and responsibilities to the response. The Global Village will also provide opportunities to renew commitments.

The AIDS 2008 Global Village is open to both conference delegates and non-delegates (including community organizations from around the world, local/national groups and the general public) and enables greater civil society involvement and exchange.

The Global Village will cover over 8,000 square metres at the Las Americas Hippodrome and will have high visibility as the main entrance into Centro Banamex. No registration is required to visit the Global Village.

Global Village Activities

Although most Global Village activities will be based on online submissions, the Global Village programme will include the following:

Global Village Sessions
Global village sessions will include panel discussions, debates and presentations with Q & A. The sessions will focus on current and emerging HIV topics as well as priority populations and geographic regions. Global Village sessions tend to be smaller and more interactive then in other parts of the conference.

Networking Zones
Networking zones will bring local and international groups together to plan and implement exciting spaces focused on key populations or geographic regions. These spaces aim to facilitate engagement and exchanges to enhance learning.

‘Meet the Plenary Speaker’ Sessions
Meet the plenary speaker sessions will bring the conference plenary speakers to the community and allow interaction and dialogue.

The Virtual Village
The virtual village will be a website, linked to the main conference site, and will include the following activities that will broaden the conference’s reach globally: moderated electronic discussion boards on a range of HIV- related topics, live moderated chat sessions focused on specific HIV-related topics and live web broadcasts of all Global Village events and activities.

The Video Lounge
The lounge will feature HIV-related videos, documentaries and other short screenings that highlight the impact of HIV/AIDS, as well as the influential role of film and video in raising HIV awareness.

The Main Stage
The main stage will be an open space for public discourse, debates, fora, and presentations on key issues and challenges that are featured not only in the Global Village programme, but in the overall conference programme. Rapporteur reports from Global Village activities, from community priorities in conference sessions, and from associated conference symposia and events will be featured.

The Youth Pavilion
The Youth Programme supports meaningful participation and purposeful dialogue of youth throughout the conference. As the access point for young people at AIDS 2008, the Youth Pavilion in the Global Village will be a space to host meetings and forums, highlight and showcase youth achievements, facilitate networking opportunities, engage adults in dialogue, and carry on the momentum from the youth pre-conference. The Youth Working Group will hold daily sessions on navigating the conference, advocacy tactics, how to record and report back lessons learned, and summaries from the youth rapporteur.

NGO and marketplace booths
NGO and marketplace booths will provide non-governmental, grassroots organizations the opportunity to interact with delegates and the general public and to showcase their HIV-specific income-generating projects.

The Community Dialogue Space
In the heart of the Global Village the 2008 Red Ribbon Award communities will create and host a Community Dialogue Space open to all conference attendees. This space will provide a venue to engage with communities and partners from around the world and influence key events and outcomes of the International AIDS Conference. Anchored by two representatives from each of the twenty-five 2008 Red Ribbon Award winning communities, the Community Dialogue Space will be dedicated to open and active discussions highlighting stories of grassroots victories, challenges communities face and opportunities to improve their response to the epidemic. The Community Dialogue Space also encourages a dialogue about developing an enabling environment for community participation in addressing HIV and AIDS.

Youth Programme

The AIDS 2008 Youth Programme will be an opportunity to empower young people, advocate for current and critical issues affecting youth worldwide, and further pinpoint current strategies for effective change. In addition, the programme is working to focus on HIV-positive young people through targeted outreach to HIV-positive youth serving organizations. There will be a new component for young scientists participating in the conference which will help to engage not only activists, but youth from many different fields.

Please see the conference profile for more details on youth attendance and registration.

Youth Programme objectives:

To empower young people from both developing and developed countries to be effective advocates at the conference;
To facilitate the collaboration of stakeholders committed to youth HIV/AIDS issues at the conference;
To promote youth participation and the inclusion of youth issues in the mainstream conference agenda, in press generated from the conference, and in HIV/AIDS programmes and policies in general; and
To gain and achieve international and individual commitments which promote youth leadership and mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on young people.

Youth Programme Guiding Principles

The youth programme will have five guiding principles to aid programme planning. These include: leadership has no age limits; meaningful participation; greater involvement of people living with HIV (GIPA); community participation (Geneva principle) and; consultation and accountability.

Youth Programme Activities

Activities will include a youth pre-conference, a youth website, a youth reception, a youth pavilion, outreach activities, cultural activities related to youth, sessions and workshops.

Governance and Support

A Youth Working Group (YWG) has been established to direct and support youth activities at AIDS 2008. The YWG is comprised of youth who are involved and dedicated to the HIV response. Members come from very different backgrounds and areas of expertise and will assist in providing youth with the tools needed to navigate AIDS 2008 and prepare youth for effective advocacy efforts and meaningful participation during the conference.

HIV is a preventable disease. Prevention demands sustainable, science-based programmes. Programmes focused on youth with active youth involvement have shown to decrease HIV prevalence and increase condom use. However, many global, national, and local leaders and policy makers continue to leave youth out of interventions affecting their lives. It is necessary to engage, encourage, and acknowledge youth as assets in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic. The International AIDS Conference will include youth in all stages of development. We need Universal Action Now from young people and for young people.

Cultural Programme

The AIDS 2008 Cultural Activities Programme (CAP) will provide opportunities for educators, professional and amateur performers and community members from across the globe to share their methods and tools for communication, education and action for change. The programme will include visual arts, literature, film and video, performance art and other innovative mediums of expression. Activities will take place at the conference convention centre (Centro Banamex) and a more extensive programme of affiliated events is planned for offsite venues around Mexico City to link the community with the conference. In addition the 2008 programme will aim to involve a global community of arts activists working on HIV issues through internet technology and interactive media.

Cultural Programme Objectives:

To incorporate the overall conference theme: Universal Action Now.
To highlight the role that artists and cultural activists have played in social change related to the HIV epidemic.
To emphasize the human, social and cultural aspects of the international responses to HIV/AIDS in all regions of the world, with a special emphasis on Mexico, Latin America and the Caribbean.
To showcase new technologies and social/cultural movements in the response to HIV.
To raise local public awareness about HIV/AIDS and engage local communities affected by HIV/AIDS.
To rejuvenate those working in the front-lines of the HIV/AIDS movement and to inspire those not working directly in the HIV/AIDS field.
To foster new networks, dialogue and information exchange.
To ensure accessibility, balance, transparency, integration and diversity in its activities, processes and participation.
To bridge the gap between scientific, and cultural and activist communities.

Cultural Activities

Activities will include live performance (music, dance, theatre, performance art, and readings), photo or art exhibits, and screenings (documentaries, short films or videos).

Skills Building Workshops

About the Skills Building Programme

The Skills Building Programme is a unique component of the conference, spanning the community, leadership and scientific programme. Its purpose is to offer workshops covering a diverse range of topics with the principle aim of providing a stage for teaching specific skills or strategies to specific audiences that can then be applied within their own work or life settings once they return home.

The programme also helps stimulate new and stronger partnerships for problem-solving related to the many different HIV-related needs. People share vital expertise with colleagues from other regions of the world to help overcome the many barriers to care, prevention and management of the epidemic.

Conference delegates have the opportunity to put learning into action. The workshops will use interactive, creative training methods on subjects of critical importance to those facing the realities of the AIDS pandemic today – whether they are a medical professional, researcher, politician, administrator, outreach worker, peer advocate, caregiver and/or a person living with HIV/AIDS.

Skills Building Workshop Selection Process

All skills building workshop proposals submitted to the Conference will go through a peer-review process carried out by an international Skills Building Reviewing Committee, each proposal will be assessed by two reviewers, one of which will come from the same region as the proposal’s issue or topic. The skills building workshop review period will take place late February – mid-March 2008. Notification to submitters will be done in April 2008.

Skills Building Workshops Categories

1. Scaling up and Linkages:

Role of NGOs in strengthening health systems for scaling up
complementary therapies and other treatment strategies
harm reduction
Convergence options for SRH and HIV in service delivery
poverty and HIV
Private Business sector and scaling up HIV/AIDS responses
Violence against women

2. Latin America and the Caribbean: Lessons shared from a concentrated epidemic:

cross-border/mobile populations
faith-based approaches
population-specific intervention development
interventions for the underserved or never served
harm reduction
masculinities

3. Leadership, Advocacy and Policy:

capacity building/sustainability strategies/healthy communities
human resource and leadership development
Accountability (fund management, monitoring and evaluation, reporting, etc.)
resource mobilization (private, government, international)
advocacy and influencing public policy and community programmes (local, national, regional, international)
Gender equality

4. Intensifying involvement of affected communities and participation of civil societies:

Role of government in enhancing the meaningful involvement of affected communities addressing vulnerabilities
community organizing for change
GIPA and empowerment of PHAs
network and coalition building among various marginalized communities for better response

5. Science, medicine and community:

Communicating evidence based science and medical breakthroughs
interpretation and application of scientific information
medical education for the non-medical client/worker
HIV prevention clinical research as a bridge to direct care and treatment.
accessing science in inaccessible situations
treatment education/advocacy/medical trials

Cyclone Nargis Leaves HIV/AIDS Patients More Vulnerable

2008-06-02T19:29:00.000-07:00

By VIOLET CHO

Cyclone Nargis affected everyone in the Irrawaddy delta, but it has placed HIV/AIDS patients under even greater physical and mental stress, according to social welfare groups in Rangoon.

A youth member of Burma’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy, said many HIV/AIDS patients lost everything they had in the storm’s aftermath.

“Our patients are desperately suffering with so many things at the same time,” said
Yazar, a youth member who is also an AIDS activist. “They are poor, and they didn’t have anything more than daily food to keep them alive. Now they’ve lost everything, they do not have food or a place to stay.”

“We are really worried about one of our patients in Dedaye, one of the hardest hit areas in the Irrawddy Delta,” he said. “She lost her husband in the storm. Her house was destroyed by the wind and now she is living with her child who also has HIV/AIDS.”

He said some patients who lived on Hainggyi Island are believed to be dead, because they have not been heard from since May 2.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Tuesday, Phyu Phyu Thin, a well-known HIV/AIDS activist who has been in hiding since last year’s pro-democracy protests, said HIV/AIDS aids groups have been contacted by more patients seeking help after the storm hit the country.

More cyclone refugees are making their way to Rangoon Division and the larger towns in the Irrawaddy delta seeking assistance, she said.

According to Yazar, the NLD group has provided food and medicine to more than 60 HIV/AIDS patients in recent days. He said the budget is not able to handle an influx of more patients.

“Problems are coming at us from many directions,” he said. “We have limited resources, and as more and more people seek help, we’re worried about meeting their needs in the future.”

As a social welfare group with a broad awareness of the suffering of the people, Yazar said much help will be needed to rebuild the country and aid the homeless population.

“We especially need more knowledge and skills relating to psychological problems,” he said, “because many people need help to recover from depression and mental problems after the storm.”

The NLD-affiliated social welfare group helps care for more than 2, 000 people living with HIV/AIDS across Burma. About 50 patients live in two houses in Rangoon.

Call for Action: Myanmar Cyclone Nargis Emergency Response and the needs of the People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Community

2008-05-26T22:47:00.000-07:00

For immediate release:

Contact: Shiba Phurailatpam, Regional Coordinator, APN+ Secretariat Office, Bangkok. shiba@apnplus.org , phone:+66 2 2591908-9

In the aftermath of the recent Cyclone Nargis that brought devastating damages in Myanmar, the Asia Pacific Network of PLHIV (APN+) is extremely concerned about its impact on people living with HIV and HIV prevention, care and support efforts in the country.

An informal study recently conducted by people living with HIV in Myanmar found that many HIV positive people are severely affected by the disaster, left without food, shelter, clean water and medicine. Many positive people have been placed in a situation where access to HIV medicines and treatment is extremely difficult, thereby putting their lives in danger.

The current situation could greatly exacerbate the existing challenges in Myanmar where basic HIV prevention, treatment and care services are not readily available and accessible. It is important to remember that Myanmar is one of the countries in Asia where more than 1% of adult population is living with HIV. Disruptions in the supply and provision of HIV prevention commodities and clean needles could put many people at risk of HIV infection.

Under the circumstances, APN+ calls the government of Myanmar, all the relevant authorities, UN and donor agencies to ensure the following:

Adequate supply of food, water and shelter are provided to those people living with HIV affected by Cyclone Nargis;
That health care and HIV treatments are not interrupted;
Involvement of the HIV positive community and local organisations in the responses, in particular in the longer term planning and implementation processes;
That the local HIV positive community is supported to be an active participant in all community based responses focused on PLHIV;
Prevention services such as condoms and clean needles are available and easily accessible;
Remove all restirctions of foriegn aid workers so that more humanitarian aid can be delivered where needed.

The Asian Tsunami Study conducted by (APN+) and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) found that HIV positive people faced increased challenges such as illness, poverty, unemployment, psychological trauma and discrimination as a result of the 2004 Asian Tsunami. Therefore, disaster situation emergency responses must include comprehensive HIV treatment, care and support and prevention services, with particular attention to the needs and involvement of HIV positive people.

APN+ requests all stakeholders to support people living with HIV and those working in the response to the Cyclone Nargis disaster to ensure the availability of HIV prevention, treatment, and care and support services in Myanmar.

2008-05-16T17:55:00.000-07:00

Global AIDS Week of Action 18-24 May, 2008

One week. One voice

Dear Colleagues,

Global AIDS Week of Action 2008 will start within the next few days and we encourage you to use this opportunity to stand together and demand accountability from your leaders.

For this year many actions have already been planned. These are just few examples;

Africa:

In Liberia – Roundtable discussions on Access to treatment, political commitments and stigma & discrimination.

In Ethiopia – Live radio discussion and panel discussion with government bodies on access to treatment and food security for rural women PLP.

In Malawi – Public debates with communities and hearing of personal testimonies, marches and petitions.

In Uganda – Week of Action - week of treatment literacy training, a meeting of communities with VCT and Family Planning Community Outreach Services, and a ‘Right to City Campaign in Kampala’.

In Sierra Leone – accountability hearing to discuss UNGASS report, awareness raising activities including use of female condoms, HIV education for children and youth.

In Nigeria – ‘Stand up Campaign’ to present 7 demands to leadership of National Assembly, round table discussion on ‘Strategies on Alternative Livelihood Options for PLWHAs’.

In Zimbabwe – theatre Road Show – HIV/AIDS awareness campaign.

Latin America:

In Uruguay – Roundtable discussions on ‘Access to treatment for PLHIV in Uruguay within the overall framework of integrated health system’.

In Argentina – Rallies will meet several hospitals and clinics in the city of Cordova to address issues such as human rights of PLHIV, access to health care services for PLHIV, stigma & discrimination and sexual reproductive health rights.

Asia:

In India – Rallies led by PLHIV will meet the health department and local administration, orientation workshop for sex workers, MSM and PLHIV of 24 districts, series of meetings, press releases of advocates and community representatives for HIV and Aids Bill, public hearing by women living with HIV/AIDS.

In Nepal – Press conference ‘Global Aids Week and UNGASS’ to stress the importance of the week of action and UNGASS and 11 commitments signed by Nepal, radio and television debates, interaction programme and a mass rally for ‘Universal Access to Food, Nutrition and Treatment’.

In Cambodia – series of community drives in capital and other districts, civil society platform to draft Charter of Demands on Universal Access and a press conference.

In Pakistan – Press conference for a launch of Pakistani shadow UNGASS report and dissemination of Charter of Demands.

Have you planned your own activities? Send us the details (it needs to be only 2/3 lines describing activity, date, time and contact person) and we’ll make sure they go on the Global Aids week website (www.globalaidsweek.org) This is the only way you can share you event with the world. Copy your message to info@globalaidsweek.org and your plans will be uploaded immediately.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Attapon Ed Ngoksin

Communications assistant

International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC)

Secretariat: 176/22 Sukhumvit 16, Klongtoey Bangkok Thailand, 10110 Tel: +66 85 4417600

“One week – One voice”

Support the Global Aids Week of Action May 18 – 24, 2008. To find out more visit the website www.globalaidsweek.org

U.S. Senators Block Key HIV/Aids Legislation

2008-05-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

NEWS - 14 May 2008
By Brian Kennedy - Washington, DC

A group of United States senators is blocking a bill that would help HIV/Aids patients in Africa and around the world, and could postpone the bill's passage until next year.

The bill reauthorizes and expands on previous legislation to fight HIV/Aids, under which the program known as the President's Emergency for Aids Relief (Pepfar) was established. The new bill, which authorizes $50 million in spending over the next five years, passed the House of Representatives on April 2 by a vote of 308-116. In order to become law, it must now pass the Senate and be signed by President Bush.

However, seven Republican senators object to the removal of a requirement that a minimum of 55 percent of spending should be directed to the treatment of HIV/Aids patients. The seven have signed a hold letter, which will postpone a vote on the bill indefinitely.

The formal title of the bill is the Tom Lantos and Henry J. Hyde United States Global Leadership Against HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Reauthorization Act of 2008. It is named for two prominent U.S. congressmen, Lantos a Democrat and Hyde a Republican, who died recently.

Senator Richard Burr (Republican-North Carolina), one of the seven senators blocking the legislation, told a press briefing on Capitol Hill in Washington DC Tuesday: "The focus is not on delivering medicine, it is not on treatment, it is not on addressing the population of individuals with HIV/Aids in Pepfar countries… It is focused on what was politically accommodating. There are no hard targets."

"What we know is treatment is prevention," added Senator Tom Coburn (Republican-Oklahoma), another senator blocking the bill.

The move has several critics, including John Bradshaw, director of the Washington office of Physicians for Human Rights, who said in a statement to AllAfrica that the Pepfar program must be "flexible and respond to what is needed in each country - and people on the ground are in the best position to make those decisions, not senators in Washington dictating artificial, numerical targets."

The senators blocking the bill even have critics within the Republican Party. Michael Gerson, a former member of the Bush administration who played a key role in the first Pepfar bill, wrote in an op-ed published today in the Washington Post that the actions of the seven Republican senators are "destructive."

"The 55 percent treatment floor would force the program to waste money in pursuit of an arbitrary, nonsensical spending target – the worst kind of congressional earmark," Gerson wrote. He accused the senators of insisting on a minimum figure for treatment as a means of discouraging what they saw as "feckless or morally dubious" spending which might promote abortion or the purchase of needles for drug addicts.

The supporters of the seven senators claim that the delay is necessary for millions of people with HIV/Aids. Michael Weinstein, the president of Aids Healthcare Foundation, the organization that put together the Capitol Hill press briefing, said "the removal of the language that requires Pepfar to direct a specific amount of its funds toward lifesaving Aids care and treatment will cost millions of lives."

Coburn added: "We are deadly serious about making sure [Pepfar] stays an effective program."

Gerson, however, accused Coburn of "undermining the bill." He reported that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (Democrat-Nevada), who schedules floor time in the Senate, supports the bill but will not introduce it if it leads to a long, drawn-out quarrel. Gerson added that President George W. Bush is not making the bill his top legislative priority.

"Given these obstacles, supporters of Pepfar reauthorization now estimate a 50 percent chance it will shelved until next year," Gerson wrote.

Coburn seemed to agree with this prediction, telling reporters that the bill was still in an early stage of Senate processes.

Katie Wyly contributed to this report.

STOP THE ARRESTS, DETENTION AND SALE OF REFUGEES IN MALAYSIA

2008-05-16T02:26:00.000-07:00

Press Release - May 14, 2008

Yesterday, Prime Minister, YAB Abdullah Ahmad Badawi launched a fund for cyclone-hit Burma after Kuala Lumpur's aid team landed in Rangoon. In his speech, he stated "We help them on humanitarian grounds, there is no politics in this matter. When there are people suffering, we Malaysians always offer assistance."

We applaud the Prime Minister and all Malaysians who have come forward to give aid and support to the people of Burma. It is the right thing to do where cyclone Nargis left 100,000 dead or missing and affecting two million or more people.

But right now in our country, there are more than 60,000 Burmese refugees with children who are being hunted down with a form of vengeance by the RELA and the Immigration department and mercilessly being arrested and detained in inhuman conditions in the various Immigration detention centers.

The recent burning of Lenggeng detention centers, reflects the harsh treatment given to migrant detainees and the total mismanagement of the camps by Immigration and RELA authorities.

The NTV 7 revelation , “Refugees for Sale” under the program Siasatan, of the involvement of enforcement officers in the blatant trafficking of women, children and men from the refugee community during the deportation to the Thai border smacks of embedded corruption and blatant arrogance and abuse of power of the enforcement agencies with RELA. To date, the Home Minister has not made public of investigations carried out on these agencies and what steps are being taken to make them accountable.

Meanwhile arrests and abuse have been stepped up, and the sale of them continue with even greater vigor that refugees are forced to flee their homes in Malaysia. We know of pregnant women, even up to 8 months pregnant with other children running for their safety to areas of high risk to their health and their children’s health. Refugees live in great fear of their safety once more from this form of state violence and repression.

The current government cannot continue to behave like the junta of Burma that oppresses and represses the people at gun point. The Burmese refugees are here because their lives have been deeply threatened. They came into this country with the sole hope and believe that a nation that practices democracy and is not experiencing conflict will protect them.

The Prime Minister must live and practice his statement that when people suffer, we must offer assistance. Why can’t we offer support and assistance to the refugees who are here with us in this country? Why are we arresting them and selling them as slaves or threatening them with deportation to Burma when we know that their lives will be at great risk even death? Is this not brutally inhuman?

Knowing very well the deep political crisis in Burma and now with the catastrophe of cyclone Nargis, is not just and right that refugees be recognized as refugees? Should we not start our humanitarian response to the refugees in the country by stopping the arrest of all refugees and going further to recognize them as refugees?

Tenaganita calls on the Prime Minister to show our humanitarian values and response by stopping the arrest and detention of all refugees; stopping the deportation of refugees; recognizing them as refugees so that they can stay and work in the country. We also urge the Home Minister, Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar to thoroughly investigate the continued abuse, trafficking and sale of refugees and corruption allegations and reports made on RELA and the Immigration officials.

It is only in recognizing the truth and in acting to redress the intense human rights violations perpetrated against the refugee community can we regain our humanity as a nation.

Dr. Irene Fernandez

Director

_______________________________

TENAGANITA SDN BHD

Penthouse, Wisma MLS

No. 31 Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman

50100 Kuala Lumpur

Malaysia

Tel: +603 2691 3691 / 2697 3671

Fax: +603 2691 3681

Email: tenaganita@yahoo.co.uk

Website: www.tenaganita.net

ASEAN MEETING

2008-05-15T02:24:00.000-07:00

ASEAN Regional Consultation on Project Development for Finalizing The Regional Proposal and Plan of Action for Greater Involvement and Empowerment of People Living with HIV

On May 7 to 9 I was invited to speak in the ASEAN regional consultation in Vientiane, Lao PDR. This meeting was attended by ATFOA focal points from Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Lao PDR, Cambodia and Myanmar. The participants from Viet Nam and Brunei Darussalam were absence. In addition, representatives from APN+, UNDP, RAK THAI and Third World Network also presented.

This consultation workshop had an output which is a Statement of Commitment. Migrations, migrant and mobile population had been mentioned a lot during this meeting and finally it has a special section in the statement. This is good because this statement will be finalized and brought to the ASEAN countries to be discussed at the country level. ASEAN Secretariat had committed to monitor the implementation of the statement at the country level.

2008-04-24T23:59:00.000-07:00

Singapore AIDS Candlelight Memorial 2008
Sunday, 18 May 2008
7.00pm - onward
at “The Big Steps” Amphitheatre,
School of Information Systems Building,
Singapore Management University [Bras Basah Campus]

Click here to see map of location

As many of you know, the Singapore AIDS Candlelight Memorial is held to remember those who have fallen to the scourge of HIV/AIDS and to support those who live with the virus. It is also a reminder to us all to continue the fight against all stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS. The fight must go on.

The theme of the International AIDS Candlelight Memorial is "Never Forget, Never Give Up". Go to http://www.candlelightmemorial.org/ for more details. If you would like to dedicate a candle in memory of someone you’ve lost to HIV/AIDS, please go to the website and make that dedication.

Also, please forward this email to your friends or fellow volunteers so that everyone knows about the event and no one is left out unintentionally.

For more information, contact:
Benedict Thambiah: benedictthambiah@yahoo.com

Daniel Tan
Chairman, Organising Committee
Singapore AIDS Candlelight Memorial 2008

A stronger civil society voice in the UNAIDS work

2008-04-21T02:56:00.000-07:00

UNAIDS is guided by a Programme Coordinating Board (PCB) which is composed of representatives of 22 governments from all geographic regions, the ten UNAIDS Cosponsoring organizations, and five representatives of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) who are elected on a regional basis. The UNAIDS PCB NGO Delegation is the first civil society delegation formally represented on a UN governing board.

In an effort to further enhance participation of civil society in policy decision-making at the global level, the PCB NGO Delegation has created a Communications Facility (CF), an independent mechanism that will strengthen the capacity of the delegation to bring forward a unified and consolidated message from their constituencies to the Board meetings of UNAIDS. Therefore, The CF will compile regional and country level civil society priorities on AIDS for the NGO Delegation to advocate for them at the global level.

This CF was established on 2 April 2008 with the recruitment of a consortium comprising the World AIDS Campaign (WAC) and Health & Development Networks (HDN) which will be its host for the next two years with funding provided by UNAIDS. This follows a competitive bidding process that was launched by the UNAIDS Secretariat after the 20th meeting of the PCB agreed on the establishment of a Communication Facility. The PCB will evaluate the progress made by the CF at the end of the two year period.

Under the leadership of the PCB NGO Delegation, the CF plans to work in two ways. On the one hand, it will ensure that the broad and diverse community voices are heard and influence the development of international policies that meet their needs. To that end, it will host conference calls for the Delegation; draft of the Delegation stakeholders map and related information needs; capacity-building for Delegation members on presentation and negotiation skills or drafting the Delegation’s annual report.

On the other, it will better inform civil society about the decisions and recommendations adopted at global level by the PCB by developing and distributing PCB related fact sheets or post-PCB meeting summaries; and develop an interactive web site among other activities.

The CF will support the non-governmental delegation by also linking them to other civil society delegations focusing on HIV such as those to the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) and UNITAID, and actively develop and nurture a ‘pool’ of civil society representatives who will provide technical support and advice to the NGO Delegation on issues relevant to the global HIV issues and the UNAIDS PCB agenda.

‘’For NGOs sitting on the UNAIDS board, it is important to have a strong independent and coordinated communication and outreach tool to ensure that the community voices are faithfully represented in the board”, said Violeta Ross Quiroga, the PCB NGO alternate delegate from Latin-America and the Caribbean.

“The voices of communities must be heard and they must include all segments of the wider civil society working towards Universal Access targets. This stands as one of the core goals of the Communication Facility, which is also another step towards the achievement of the GIPA principle.’’ She added.

The 22nd Meeting of the Programme Coordinating Board will take place in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 23 - 25 April 2008.

Online at:
http://www.unaids.org/en/KnowledgeCentre/Resources/FeatureStories/archive/2008/20080411_A_stronger_civil_society_voice_UNAIDS_work.asp

2008-04-21T01:28:00.000-07:00

UNITED NATIONS

Press Release

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COMMITTEE ON RIGHTS OF MIGRANT WORKERS TO HOLD EIGHTH SESSION
IN GENEVA FROM 14 TO 25 APRIL

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11 April 2008

The eighth session of the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families will be held at the Palais Wilson in Geneva from 14 to 25 April 2008. During its two-week session, the Committee will review efforts by Syria and Bolivia to implement their obligations under the International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families.

At its first meeting, which will start at 10 a.m. on Monday, 14 April, the Committee will begin by hearing a solemn declaration by its new member, Myriam Poussi Konsimbo of Burkina Faso, who will serve in her personal capacity, that she will perform her duties and exercise her powers as a member of the Committee honourably, faithfully, impartially and conscientiously. The Committee will also elect a new Bureau from among its members, including a Chairperson, three Vice-Chairpersons and a Rapporteur. The Committee will then adopt its agenda for the session, and hear a statement from a representative of the Secretary-General.

On the afternoon of Monday, 14 April, the Committee will hold a meeting with non-governmental and international organizations, as well as national human rights institutions, in relation to the initial reports of Syria and Bolivia. The Committee will consider the initial report of Syria (CMW/C/SYR/1), on the afternoon of Tuesday, 15 April and continuing on the morning of Wednesday, 16 April. On Wednesday afternoon and the morning of Thursday, 17 April, the initial report of Bolivia (CMW/C/BOL/1) will be examined.

Also during its eighth session, the Committee will hold public meetings on the topics of the human rights index, human rights indicators, and the Global Forum on Migration and Development. In addition, on the morning of Friday, 18 April, the Committee will celebrate the fifth anniversary of the entry into force of the Convention with a round-table discussion on the importance of human rights in the context of today's migration debate. Leading experts from the International Labour Organization, the International Organization for Migration, academia, non-governmental organizations and States will be giving their points of view on this issue and will engage the public in a debate that seeks to reinvigorate the importance of the Convention in the search for solutions to the challenges raised by global migration.

More than 190 million migrants, including migrant workers, refugees, asylum-seekers, permanent immigrants and others, live and work in a country other than that of their birth or citizenship. They represent almost 3 per cent of the world's population.

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families entered into force on 1 July 2003. The Convention seeks to play a role in preventing and eliminating the exploitation of migrant workers as well as ensuring the protection of their human rights throughout the entire migration process. It provides a set of binding international standards to address the treatment, welfare and human rights of both documented and undocumented migrants, as well as the obligations and responsibilities on the part of sending and receiving States, as well as States of transit. To date, 37 States have ratified the treaty.

The Committee of 10 Experts was created to monitor how States parties to the Convention abide by their obligations under the treaty. States parties accept the obligation to report to the Committee on the steps they have taken to implement the Convention. States must report initially within a year of its entry into force for the State concerned, and thereafter every five years. So far, the Committee has examined the initial reports of four States parties, Mali, Mexico, Egypt and Ecuador. At its present session, it will examine the initial reports of Syria and Bolivia. Currently, the reports of another five State parties, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, El Salvador and the Philippines are awaiting examination by the Committee. The reports of 26 other States parties are now overdue.

The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families

The Convention is applicable to all migrant workers and members of their families without distinction of any kind such as sex, race, colour, language, religion or conviction, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, nationality, age, economic position, property, marital status, birth or other status. It applies during the entire migration process of migrant workers and members of their families, which comprises preparation for migration, departure, transit and the entire period of stay and remunerated activity in the State of employment as well as return to the State of origin or the State of habitual residence.

Listed among their human rights, the Convention states that migrant workers and members of their families shall be free to leave any State, including their State of origin; migrant workers and members of their families shall have the right at any time to enter and remain in their State of origin; the right to life of migrant workers and members of their families shall be protected by law; no migrant worker or member of his or her family shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment; no migrant worker or member of his or her family shall be held in slavery or servitude; and no migrant worker or member of his or her family shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour. The Convention also prohibits collective expulsion of migrant workers and members of their families. It further establishes that migrant workers shall enjoy treatment not less favourable than that which applies to nationals of the State of employment in respect of remuneration and other conditions of work and terms of employment. Documented or regular migrant workers moreover enjoy the right to form associations and trade unions as well as equality of treatment with the nationals of the State in relation to access to educational, social and health services.

The Convention also imposes a series of obligations on States parties in the interest of promoting "sound, equitable, humane and lawful conditions" for the international migration of workers and members of their families. These requirements include the establishment of policies on migration; the exchange of information with other States parties; the provision of information to employers, workers and their organizations on policies, laws and regulations; and assistance to migrant workers and their families.

Implementation of the Convention

The Convention is monitored by the Committee on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, consisting of 10 Experts serving in their personal capacity. The membership of the Committee will rise from 10 to 14 experts when 41 ratifications have been registered.

States parties accept the obligation to report on the steps they have taken to implement the Convention within a year of its entry into force for the State concerned, and thereafter every five years. Under the treaty, a State party may also recognize the competence of the Committee to receive and consider communications from or on behalf of individuals within that State's jurisdiction who claim that their rights under the Convention have been violated. On 18 September 2007, Guatemala became the first State party to recognize the Committee's competence in this respect.

Other International Mechanisms for Protection of Migrants

The Convention reinforces and completes a series of other measures already taken by the United Nations to ensure adequate protection of all migrant workers and their families. The International Labour Organization has been in the forefront of efforts to secure and maintain a fair deal for migrant workers and their families since the 1920s. Also, a Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights (now the Human Rights Council) has been looking since 1999 at ways and means to overcome obstacles to the full and effective protection of the human rights of migrants, including difficulties for the return of those who are "undocumented".

States Parties to the Convention

The Convention was adopted and opened for signature, ratification and accession by the General Assembly in December 1990. To date, it has been ratified or acceded to by the following 37 States: Albania, Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Belize, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Ghana, Guatemala, Guinea, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, Senegal, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkey, Uganda and Uruguay.

Members of the Committee

The members of the Committee are Francisco Alba (Mexico); José S. Brillantes (Philippines); Ana Elizabeth Cubías Medina (El Salvador); Anamaría Dieguez Arévalo (Guatemala); Ahmed Hassan El-Borai (Egypt); Abdelhamid El Jamri (Morocco); Prasad Kariyawasam (Sri Lanka); Myriam Poussi Konsimbo (Burkina Faso); Mehmet

2008-04-20T23:18:00.000-07:00

the Star News: Sunday April 20, 2008

By JASON LIOH

MALACCA: The Home Ministry is proposing that Rela be upgraded to full departmental status as an enforcement agency under the ministry.

This would enhance the organisation's enforcement and public order operations, said Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar, adding that a draft of the proposal was being finalised before being tabled to the Government for approval.

“The role and responsibility of Rela has increased and become even more challenging.

“As such it is appropriate that the organisation be upgraded to an enforcement agency under the ministry,” he told reporters after attending Rela's get-together between officers and leaders at the Rela Southern Zone Training Camp in Sungai Udang Sunday. He said that the move would allow for better logistical support and funding for facilities, equipment, and uniforms for its personnel.

“We need to give the 508,000 volunteers sufficient training, not only to enhance Rela’s capability but also to further assist police and the Immigration Department -- as of today, it has nabbed 73,938 illegal immigrants," he added.

Under the 9th Malaysian Plan, three more Rela training camps would be set up in Negri Sembilan, Pahang and Perak to complement the existing camps at Sungai Udang in Malacca, Sungai Petani in Kedah and Tuaran in Sabah.

Migrant workers deceived, stranded in Bandung

2008-04-20T22:52:00.000-07:00

Yuli Tri Suwarni , The Jakarta Post , Bandung | Sat, 04/19/2008 12:26 PM

Hundreds of migrant workers who paid a total of Rp 5 billion (US$541,000) to secure jobs and transportation to South Korea are now stranded in Bandung, West Java, and seeking justice.

The 320 workers, who come from villages in Central and West Java, have filed complaints with the relevant local authorities, with the assistance of the Bandung Legal Aid Institute (LBH Bandung).

The workers said justice had been miscarried as their money had not been returned to them, while those who attempted "to smuggle" them overseas were charged only with criminal deceit.

"We are disappointed with the way the police are handling the case and with the local manpower and transmigration office for giving no response to the workers. They have been stranded for months in the city without any certainty over their fate," Purwanto, representing the workers, said here recently.

Purwanto, a 27-year-old resident of Losari, Brebes, Central Java, said he paid Rp 20 million to the Bannua Foundation, which recruited the workers to work in South Korea for a starting salary, it claimed, of Rp 8 million per month.

"I was interested because ... I had worked in Saudi Arabia for four years for a monthly wage of only Rp 2.8 million. I accepted the foundation's offer because it pledged I would be paid more," he said, adding he paid Rp 10 million to a sponsor to facilitate his departure to the Middle East in 2003.

Purwanto said the deceit was uncovered when he and other workers underwent a Korean proficiency test at the University of Indonesia in Depok.

The test organizers found that our test numbers had been falsified, he said.

"I went back to Bandung but was unable to meet with the foundation's management. After a week-long check, I discovered the foundation was not a recruitment agency, but rather had a permit from the local manpower and transmigration office to run a Korean language short-course."

Mujianto and three other workers from Cilacap said they paid Rp 15 million each to the foundation, which pledged they would be employed in Korea for a monthly wage of Rp 8 million.

"In the past we worked on construction projects with a daily wage of Rp 30,000. We were interested in working in Korea because of the high salary offered. That is why we sold our assets in Cilacap to pay the foundation. If our departure is suspended, we want our money back," he said.

He said his older brother Muji was employed at a forklift factory in Korea for a monthly salary of Rp 16 million.

Canggih Pribadi from the legal institute's labor division criticized the police for charging foundation chairman Salifi Rachman and his assistant Ade Komaruddin with deception instead of smuggling.

"The police should have used Law No. 39/2004 on the placement and protection of migrant workers to uphold justice in this case. The law has a maximum life sentence and a fine of Rp 5 billion, and should have been used to force the smugglers to return the workers' money," he said.

Parsaoran Sirait from the legal aid foundation blamed the manpower and transmigration office for not distributing information on procedures for working overseas.

"Manpower and transmigration authorities have distributed information on the required legal procedures to brokers and labor exporters only. The police are uninformed about the labor laws," he said.

He called on either the police or manpower authorities to force the foundation to return the money collected and to impose harsh sanctions against the foundation.

Remittances from migrant workers increased by 15 percent to Rs 2.5 billion

2008-04-20T22:49:00.000-07:00

http://www.island.lk/2008/04/21/business5.html

Remittances from the migrant workers recorded a 2,502 million US Dollars during 2007, an increase of 15 percent from the previous year.

The Middle Eastern region continued to provide 90 percent of the total foreign employment for Sri Lankans the Annual Central Bank report 2007 states.
However unskilled workers continued to account for a significant share of foreign employment dominated by housemaids the report also stated.

Overseas job opportunities for the Sri Lankan labour force continued to be a vital source of employment and there were 217,306 departures compared with 201,948 from the previous years which was a growth of 7.6 percent during the year.

The dominance of housemaids has been declining over the years and it was 49 percent of the total foreign employment in 2005 declining to 47 percent in 2007 the report said.

An apprenticeship training programme in the construction sector leading to an internationally accepted certification and similar training in hospitality trade were undertaken with a view to cater to these sectors in the global market.

Consequently, the migrant workforce in the categories of skilled and unskilled labour, other than the housemaids, increased from 42 percent in 2006 to 47 percent in 2007 the Central Bank report stated.

Government wants zero dependence on non-Malaysian workers

2008-04-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

PUTRAJAYA: The Government wants to do away with foreign workers as their numbers – both legal and illegal – have reached three million.

Home Minister Datuk Seri Syed Hamid Albar said he would seek the cooperation of the Human Resources Ministry to find ways to reduce the demand for foreign workers.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the Immigration Department here yesterday, he said the move would also ensure that there would be no unemployment among Malaysians.

He said cooperation from employers was most important as they created the demand for foreign workers and this had also caused illegal foreigners to enter the country in droves.

“We want to see the demand for foreigners totally scrapped, that is our aim. We need cooperation from those who are seeking workers.

“We need a collective and planned effort from all quarters including the Human Resources Ministry to ensure that we depend only on our own citizens,” he said, adding that illegal foreign workers were one of the biggest problems the ministry was facing.

When asked for more attractive perks and benefits for locals to take up jobs that were now dominated by foreigners, he said for an unemployed Malaysian any job would be attractive.

In PETALING JAYA, the Malaysian Employers Federation and Malaysian Trades Union Congress said that the Government must have a clear policy on migrant workers and not act on an ad hoc basis.

MEF executive director Shamsuddin Bardan said he was not against the move to scrap dependence on foreign workers but it must be planned properly.

“We don't want to have a knee-jerk reaction and be caught off-guard. This could affect productivity,” he said.

“The cause of the high influx of illegals should not be confused with employers' demand for documented workers. It's partly because the Government has been too lenient,” he said.

MTUC president Syed Shahir Syed Mohamud said the organisation was not against hiring migrant workers but also said the Government must have a clear policy on why they were brought in.

Violence against refugees continues PDF
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Friday, 11 April 2008
Aliran would like to bring to public attention the continuing violence perpetrated against migrants and refugees in this country. It is amazing that the public at large is still ignorant of all this human rights violation happening right under our noses. Moreover, most of the Malaysian public remain ignorant of who refugees are or why they are here.

The cause of this ignorance is probably brought about by limited information and the negative views promoted by the mainstream news dailies and broadcast media, which is still under the complete control of the ruling Barisan Nasional government.

In our view, negative publicity that incites violence against any group of human beings by any party is unjust and by its nature, criminal, especially when the victims of such violence are defenceless and have not harmed anyone.

What have the on-going violent crackdowns by Rela gained for Malaysian society? It has obviously done nothing for Malaysia except to give us a bad image internationally as a cruel and heartless nation.

Have refugees from other countries undergoing internal political upheaval or conflict stopped coming here or has there been a reduction in numbers? No. It is in fact difficult to keep accurate count of these numbers. Even the UN refugee agency in Malaysia cannot be completely certain that statistics do not change everyday.

Refugee communities have repeatedly sent out press releases to non-governmental organisations to appeal for a stop to the arrest and detention of their community members, including pregnant women, mothers with babies, small children and minors. They have often described the cruel and inhuman treatment they experience at the hands of Rela and the abuse perpetrated in immigration detention centres. This abuse ranges from being beaten up, sexually abused, raped and financially extorted, to the whipping of minors.

Such acts, if committed by any other Malaysian citizen, would be seen as criminal. Yet when they are committed by those in authority - through the so-called 'security forces' like Rela - against helpless migrants and refugees, they very often go unnoticed and unpunished. The current Home Affairs Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, has not publicly taken a stand on this issue. Instead, the raids on these defenceless refugee communities have been stepped up, affecting even those officially recognised by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and who have UNHCR documents to prove their status.

The issue of refugees is not a new one. It has in fact been an issue for over 30 years since the Vietnam War in the 1970s. Since then, other countries in the region have been gripped by turmoil and hardship, but few Malaysians are aware of the long-standing suffering in these countries. Do we think this does not affect us?

The excuse by the Government that treating refugees humanely is a 'pull-factor' for more to arrive on our shores is a fallacy. Neither ill-treatment nor deportation has served to stop the influx of migrants, whether documented or undocumented. The fundamental problem is the lack
of a proper corruption- free immigration control system and clear- cut policies for different categories of migrants. The non-recognition of refugees and the lack of empathy for their plight have tarnished our image. The use of Rela only puts migrants and refugees as well as sections of the Malaysian public in fear because of the indiscriminate raids often carried out in the middle of the night.

Rela seems to be acting with impunity and getting away with acts of violence against migrants and refugees. This makes Malaysian society appear inhuman as it appears to overlook such gratuitous violence.

The recent denial of a two-thirds majority for the BN and the victories of the opposition Pakatan Rakyat in five states have shown us that we can bring about changes for the betterment of the country, if we want to.

Similarly, the /rakyat/ can put pressure for the new Parliament to address the issue of migrants and refugees more seriously and to come up with more comprehensive and humane immigration policies, which would include the recognition of refugees by immigration authorities in this
country.

Aliran also urges the /rakyat/ to support calls for the federal government to ratify the 1951 UN Refugee Convention and other international human rights conventions. The public is also reminded that Malaysia is an elected member of the UN Human Rights Council and should live up to this role in the international community, instead of embarrassing us by being a notorious perpetrator of human rights violations.

Aliran again reiterates its support for calls by other civil society groups, including the Bar Council and Suara Rakyat Malaysia, for the abolition of Rela.

[Aliran Executive Committee]

Flaw in foreign worker supply

2008-04-17T18:06:00.000-07:00

Thursday April 17, 2008

PUTRAJAYA: There has been a weakness in the regulating of demand and supply factors concerning foreign workers, admitted Human Resources Minister Datuk Dr S. Subramaniam.

He said some agencies had brought in more foreign workers than required and had to find work for the extra workers who flooded some sectors.

He said if the Government had been successful in tightening this, it would have won one battle towards reducing the number of foreign workers in the country.

Dr Subramaniam told reporters after the post-Cabinet meeting here yesterday that he would be meeting employers in the agriculture and manufacturing sectors to advise them to regulate and to hire locals.

It was reported earlier that there were two million registered foreign workers in the country and an estimated one million illegal ones.

On his meeting with Cuepacs yesterday, Dr Subramaniam said he had heard their grievances and suggestions and would bring them up in the Cabinet.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/4/16/nation/20961403&sec=nation

Labour Day Celebration

2008-04-15T19:29:00.000-07:00

As part of the efforts to celebrate Labour Day, INTEGRATE brings together a burst of flavours from across Asia through the lives of migrants in Singapore. Come be part of it.

This is the second time Migrant Voices is presenting INTEGRATE. First showcased in 2006 at The Substation and Timbre, we are now taking the show to Post Museum and extending the event to 2 days (3rd and 4th May). The events are held on weekends in order to encourage greater participation from both non-work permit holders and those who only have Sundays off from work.

With partners, TWC2 and HOME, Migrant Voices will present works done largely by work-permit holders (foreign workers) and Special pass holders (those seeking re-dress with authorities) through past workshops.

SATURDAY, 3rd May 2008
12.00pm - INTEGRATE officially opens, the Post Museum gallery will have photographs and artworks on display. Migrant Voices, TWC2 and HOME will each have a booth at the space so you're welcome to look through merchandise or ask us questions.

4.30pm - Poetry Readings & Open Mic sessions from poets & artists. A talkback session will also follow after the readings.
6.00pm - USE, a drama piece, written by Hemang Yadav. It will be performed by members of Three Men Productions, who made one of the winning entries for the "Fly by Nite 2008" video competition. This piece draws from personal experiences and observances of our interaction with "them".

7.00pm - Film Screenings @ Post Museum's screening room, RSVP by invitation only (filmfest@migrantvoices.or

g), entry at $20 per person. A talkback session will also be held with representatives from TWC2 and HOME, advocacy and welfare groups leading the foreign labour movement in Singapore.

The Films:
The Story of Stuff, 20 minutes
From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this is hidden from view. The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look at the underside of our production and consumption patterns. The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff in your life forever.

Breaking Labour (Malaysia), 30 minutes
Malaysia's rapid economic growth in recent decades has spawned an unbridled recruitment of migrant workers numbering up to three million. This documentary film traces the migrant workers who suffered in detention camps in Malaysia and tells the stories of those who are still struggling in Malaysia seeking for justice. It reveals the dreams of potential migrant workers and their hopes for a better life. It chronicles the quest for survival in and out of detention camps of migrant workers from Bangladesh, India, and Indonesia.

Foreign Dreams (Singapore), 7 minutes
About a letter home written by an Indian construction worker. Born in Hong Kong, Elgin Ho was exposed to the film industry as early as five years old. He is currently an undergraduate majoring in Digital Film at the NTU School of Art, Design & Media. Foreign Dreams was awarded the Silver Crow bar at the prestigious Singapore Student Creative Awards 2002 and has been screened in film festivals around the world.

Don't Fence Me In (Burma), 20 minutes
"Don't Fence Me In: Major Mary and the Karen Refugees from Burma" chronicles the life of 70-year-old freedom fighter Major Mary On and her people's struggle for self-determination. Major Mary's charismatic storytelling is accompanied by rare, clandestine footage smuggled out of the refugee camps along the border between Burma and Thailand. The film reveals the Karen refugees' spirit and determination to survive as political and historical forces conspire against them.

Din Bhrantok Nabeek (Bangladesh), 30 minutes (approx)
A documentary about the migratory process from sending countries in this case Bangladesh. The story looks into the life of its character right from when he made the choice to migrate to meeting an agent and then to the failure of reaching his destination.

2008-04-15T19:23:00.000-07:00

UNITED INDONESIANS AGAINST OVERCHARGING (PILAR)
INDONESIAN MIGRANT MUSLIM ALLIANCE (GAMMI)
c/o APMM, G/F, 2 Jordan Road , Kowloon , HKSAR; Tel: 23147316 Fax: 27354559; Email: atkihk_2000@yahoo.com

Press Release
13 April 2008

For reference: Eni Lestari, Spokesperson
Tel. No.: 96081475, 95802353

"Delay means more abuses"
Indonesian migrants hit consulate for slow actions on demands

"Every minute of every day that the Indonesian Consulate delays on its promises, more and more Indonesian migrants become vulnerable to abuses and exploitation."

This was declared by Eni Lestari, spokesperson of the United Indonesians Against Overcharging (PILAR) during their protest rally today in front of Indonesian Consulate to demand the Consulate to improve its services for Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong and Macau .

Among the issues the protesters raised were the confiscation of passports by recruitment agencies, the insufficient services for Indonesian migrants in Macau , the refusal to renew passports within one day and the fact that the Consulate lacks major services on Sundays when most migrant workers have their day off.

"Since the end of last year, the Consulate has promised to act on these matters. But until now, their promises have been empty ones," Lestari said.

According to Lestari, their recent survey revealed that 40% of Indonesian migrants in Hong Kong, especially the newcomers, are confiscated of their passports by Hong Kong agencies. This is done, she said, to hostage Indonesians so they will pay the high placement fee of HK$21,000, not run away from their employer even if they are abused and obey the agency's instructions.

"Although the Consulate has issued a Letter of Order addressed to the association of Hong Kong agencies that ordered them to release the passports that they have confiscated and punish them if they don't, it has not yet been fully enforced and still many Indonesians do not have their own passports until now," Eni reported.

Lestari said that PILAR has been actively gathering complaints among Indonesians for a month and more than 100 complaints have been collected. The complaints were supposed to be submitted during the protest rally but the Indonesian Consulate refused to receive the petition.

"Meanwhile, the Consulate has also not yet implemented the one-day renewal of passport as well as processing of renewal of passports on Sundays even if they have promised to do so in January this year. Although they opened their office on Sundays starting April 6, they only provide services for three hours services and is limited to collection of passports only," Eni remarked.

According to Lestari since Indonesian migrants are live-in domestic workers, they have to bargain with their employers to allow them to leave the house on weekday mornings. Some, she said, even risk their employment just to attend to their business in the Consulate. This, she reported, is worse for those who work in remote places such as in New Territory and Macau . The Consulate recently admitted that around 150 Indonesians renew their passport everyday but the application time is only in the morning and takes at least two weeks before it can be collected.

"Even the Indonesian migrants in Macau have complained of the insufficent services of the Indonesian Consulate in there. They open only on Sundays for three hours," she declared

Lestari said that there are around 6,000 Indonesian migrants working in Macau and their number has been increasing recently. The central government in Jakarta has appointed the Indonesian Consulate in Hong Kong to attend to the needs of Indonesians in Macau but it is very inadequate.

"When it comes to implementing policies detrimental to us, the Consulate is very quick. But when it is a matter of services to us, they drag their feet," Lestari remarked.

Lestari said that they will continue to mount actions to pressure the Consulate to adhere to their commitments.

"The longer the delay, the more abuses we suffer. The Consulate should immediately put their acts together," she concluded.

AIDS Festival 2008

2008-03-18T02:44:00.000-07:00

St John’s Cathedral HIV Education Centre is launching the AIDS Festival 2008 on 30 March, with the theme “Take the Lead, Stop AIDS – Universal Action Now!”

The spreading of AIDS is obvious and undeniable, with patient numbers surging increasingly. According to the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), there were already 30 million HIV-infected patients worldwide in 2007.

The AIDS Festival this year aims to increase public awareness of AIDS, encouraging nations’ harmony. It is also modelled by social leaders to confront HIV/AIDS through prevention, support and care.

The event will start at 11.00 a.m. on 30 March, 2008; the grand ceremony will be launched at 3.00 p.m. There will be twenty six groups of participants from various organizations, schools etc. performing at the event. We are looking forward to seeing you with us at this meaningful occasion.

AIDS Festival 2008

Date : 30 March, 2008.

Time : 11.00 a.m. – 5. 30 p.m.

Venue : Sunday Pedestrian Precinct, Chater Road,

Central, Hong Kong

(outside the Legislative Council Building)

For any enquiries, please feel free to contact:

Ms. Elijah FUNG

AIDS Festival Coordinator

St. John's Cathedral HIV Education Centre
4-8 Garden Road, Central, Hong Kong
Tel: (852) 2523 0531
Fax: (852) 2523 1581

Cell: (852) 9048 4645
Email: manager@sjhivctr.com
Website: www.sjhivctr.com

Immigration uncovers illegal outsourcing

2008-03-17T02:09:00.000-07:00

IPOH: The Immigration Department has uncovered a new business approach being used by several employment agencies in Perak.

Instead of sourcing, supplying and managing foreign workers directly for their clients, some employment agencies here have appointed a local company to outsource and manage these workers on their behalf.

With this method, the agencies are not only able to lower their administrative costs, but also receive parts of the profits gained by the outsourcing company.

Yesterday, after checking the premises of an outsourcing company in Lahat Baru near here, the Immigration officials were shocked to find that there was more to the practice.

The raiding team, headed by the department's enforcement director, Datuk Ishak Mohamad, discovered that the foreign workers supplied by the company were illegals issued with Myanmar refugee cards.

"We found the cards issued by an outfit known as Burma Refugees Organisation (BRO). Malaysia does not accept refugee card as a valid travel document to enter this country."

"Therefore, workers supplied by the outsourcing company to the employment agencies' clients are illegals," he said here yesterday, adding that 99 passports belonging to Myanmar and Bangladesh nationals were also seized from the premises.

He said the outsourcing company, HRO Management, and the employment agencies were involved in an unlawful venture. The law, he said, prohibited employment agencies from delegating their business tasks to other companies who were not authorised to source, supply and manage foreign workers.

Ishak said based on initial investigation, there were at least five agencies which had agreements with HRO to outsource foreign workers for their clients.

He said HRO, a registered company run by a 55-year-old businessman, and the employment agencies could be charged in court for conducting illegal business while employers may face the music for harbouring illegals at their workplace.

He also said the department would investigate BRO, which is based in Puchong, Selangor, for issuing the illegal refugee cards, adding that the licences of the employment agencies involved would be suspended.

The raiding team also arrested three Myanmars at the premises, one of whom carried a refugee card issued by BRO.

The other two, employed as office boys by the outsourcing company, were arrested because their work passes stated that their employment was based in Kuala Lumpur and not in Ipoh.

No more Sri Lankan housemaids to Middle East?

2008-03-14T02:29:00.000-07:00

By Gagani Weerakoon

The government has taken a decision to stop sending Sri Lankan women as housemaids to Middle East countries.

Ministry of Foreign Employment Development and Welfare said this was told at a meeting with the President and ministry secretaries at the Temple Trees yesterday.

“Instead of sending housemaids to labour in foreign countries President Mahinda Rajapaksa asked us to promote and send trained females as prospective nurses and attendants where they can earn more with due respect,” a Ministry spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, a project has been initiated to send more workers for jobs in construction and engineering services in Doha and Qatar.

Under this the Ministry of Construction and Engineering Services has already begun a project of constructing 345 houses in Doha and Qatar worth Rs 13 billion.

According to the Ministry measures are already underway to send a crew of 1000 including engineers, architects, surveyors, planners and other technicians.

Minister Rajitha Senaratne said these people were given good salaries, accommodation and other facilities and added that the amount of expected foreign income was more than double of what the country got at present.

UN News Service: Myanmar, migrant workers on agenda as UN labour policy group convenes

2008-03-10T22:47:00.000-07:00

6 March 2008 – Forced labour in Myanmar, freedom of association and discrimination against migrant workers are among the issues to be addressed at the policy meeting of the United Nation’s labour organization that opens today in Geneva.

The Governing Body of the International Labour Office (ILO) meets three times a year in March, June and November, and takes decisions on policy, budget and the agenda of its International Labour Conference.

The meeting scheduled from 6-20 March is expected to discuss action against forced labour in Myanmar in the light of a recent ILO mission to the country, among other issues. It will also review progress in countries which have not yet ratified all fundamental Conventions on freedom of association and collective bargaining, forced and child labour and discrimination.

On 17 March, Robert B. Zoellick, President of the World Bank, will address the Working Party on the Social Dimension of Globalization, speaking on the topic, “The Challenge of Making Globalization Inclusive.”

Empowerment of women: Who cares?

2008-03-10T22:34:00.000-07:00

Daily Mirror

By Manel Abhayaratna

March 11, 2008: Women constitute a little more than half the population of Sri Lanka and should play a more crucial role in the affairs of the country but another International day for women has come and gone and except for a lot of hype, functions and celebrations nothing constructive seems to have been achieved. The president taking the theme for International women’s Day this year "Shaping Progress" said that ‘is timely in the attention it draws to the need to build on the progress already made by women to move towards further and necessary achievements. On this day, it will be useful to think of the areas in which more action is still needed such as equal pay for equal work, women's education and health, and violence against women’. With such a statement concluded the international day. Women from different strata of society asked for their comments on the significance of the day cynically replied that it would not in anyway make much difference to their lives.

Their attitude perhaps reflects the failure of women themselves to unite and seek a solution to the myriad problems they face, the harassments that affect their domestic and working life, the sacrifices they make and the callousness with which they are treated by successive governments. The political empowerment of women in Sri Lanka was a first in the Asian countries. In fact the world’s first woman prime Minister was from Sri Lanka and the former president was also a woman. But essentially it appears that this political power did not have any impact on the well being of women in the country. It neither indicated a high political profile for the average woman, nor did it represent the involvement of women in policy-planning and decision-making at higher levels. Obviously women did not find solace for their problems by being active in politics, in fact even those few women who entered the arena of politics remained divided according to their political loyalties, and they did not unite as one voice when concerns of women became a matter of importance. Women politicians at almost every level supported their political affiliations regardless of planning and working for the common good of women. Common issues affecting women seldom surface in parliament or in local government institutions though some of these institutions are headed by women. For instance, maternal nutrition is important during pregnancy, both for the development of the fetus and for the protection of the mother’s health. Poor maternal health leads to low birth weight leaving some babies malnourished right from birth. Girls that are born with low birth rate grow into women of short stature, who themselves are more likely to have low birth weight babies. But on the average the standards of nutrition that prevail especially in the rural and marginalized shanty areas not only fail to meet their own needs but hinder their efforts to ensure the health of their children.

Malnutrition of mothers and children are a common feature in this country. But women politicians have not highlighted this situation nor expressed any opinion about the effect the high cost of living has on the family. The increased cost of milk foods, eggs and essential food items especially cereals such a dhall, green grams etc which could be nutrient substitutes are issues that should have been of concern. Sadly only a few women’s organizations appear to be concerned about such issues and even they are limited in their protest, and as for the women politicians specifically it appears that their silence is golden. In fact the rural and the marginalized women would certainly have been appreciative if some protest was made and action taken to at least provide some relief to them. Women politicians would surely understand the sufferings and frustration that these women undergo.

Moreover we have an NGO forum of women’s organizations, one wonders whether they could not mobilize from grass root level activists who could agitate for a more rational price level for essential food items. Perhaps they could provide forums for discussion and platforms for lobbying, and form small groups to pressurize politicians especially women politicians to agitate for some type pf relief. It should be recalled that after the inception of the International Women’s day rallies, in 1917 Russian women successfully demonstrated for peace and bread , perhaps we can have as a rallying point a slogan peace and food!. After all in his message the President referred to the progress that has yet to be made concerning women’s development, in that context is not peace in the country and food at affordable prices for the people issues of the highest priority?

Women workers contribution to the economy
More importantly, the country's economy rests to a very large part on the contributions provided by women. While women’s labour plays an important part in the plantation industry the contributions made by migrant women workers in the Middle Eastern countries should be regarded with greater appreciation and concern.

A matter of utmost importance is that women especially those at decision making levels and the NGO forum should consider is the lack of political rights for these thousands of women who migrate abroad for domestic work. Successive governments have acknowledged their repatriated earnings form the second largest source of foreign exchange earnings for Sri Lanka. These migrant women are exposed to numerous exploitations, physical harm, denial of basic human and labour rights and freedoms, and the lack of access to legal or counselling services in the countries they work in, but far worse than all these is that their own country denies them their right to vote. Surely it needs only a logistical planning to provide them the facilities to cast their vote but no-one appears to be bothered about this denial of their basic fundamental right.

Their earnings which are of such importance to the country are obtained by immense sufferings and sacrifice and the end result they receive is a denial of their political right to vote. In addition while these women go through the trauma of working as migrant workers in a foreign country which has its own codes of behaviour and rules .to improve the economic status of their families, the unsupervised children of these migrant workers are often exposed to the undesirable influences, which impact them negatively. Here again those women who are in the political field and who have thereby to make a more positive impact should unite together regardless of the political party affiliations and plan out a more effective programme to assist the children of these migrant workers.

The pitiful work conditions that affect the migrant women workers and a number of women the garment industry seems to be nobody's concern .Both these groups of workers bring into the country the much needed foreign exchanges as also does the tea plantation worker. Sri Lanka earned Rs.76.6 billion (about US$1.5 billion) in 1994 from garment exports produced mainly in the Free Trade Zones (FTZ) in the country - which made up 48% of its export income. Out of the 100,000 jobs created in the FTZs in recent years, 80% have gone to women. There are 500,000 migrant workers, mainly in the Middle-East, who contributed Rs.35 billion (US$ 0.7 billion) to the national coffers in 1994 - over 50% of them are women, working as maids It could be seen that though the woman's role in the economy and in society has become more and more important, her position is still vulnerable. There is no clear and general identification and recognition of women's rights and a women’s charter seems as elusive as ever. The previous UNP government published a women's charter embodying various women's rights recognized internationally.

Women’s Charter
The present PA government, pledged at the elections in 1994 to legalize that charter. However, no action has been taken in that regard, despite there being a Women's Empowerment Ministry headed by a woman politicaisn. The Minister of Child Development nd Women's Empowerment has as its objectives the implementation of policies, plans and programmes in respect of Women’s Empowerment and the implementation of policies and programmes for; the advancement of quality of life for women; increase of their participation in National development Policies and other spheres of life; The promotion of gender equity and gender justice and the implementation of the Women’s Charter. But in reality most of these objectives are seldom realized and no one is really bothered about the actual empowerment of women to carve out their own development. They yet remain as is stated in the UN document, discriminated against and this violation of ‘ the principles of equality of rights and respect for human dignity, is an obstacle to the participation of women, on equal terms with men, in the political, social, economic and cultural life of their countries and hampers the growth of the prosperity of society and the family and makes more difficult the full development of the potentialities of women in the service of their countries and of humanity’

Over 200 Migrant Workers Dead Over Last Three Years

2008-03-10T19:01:00.000-07:00

The Korea Times
By Kim Tae-jongStaff Reporter

A total of 217 foreign workers have died here over the last three years with about half of their deaths attributed to heart attacks and other sudden causes. Of those, 104 were confirmed to have died from heart attacks, strokes or sleeping disorders, Gwangju Immigration Center at the Borderless Village said, citing data from Samsung Life Insurance which sells policies to migrant workers. Accidents and other factors were attributed to other causes death.

"Such a large portion of sudden deaths reflects poor working and living conditions of foreign workers,'' An Dea-hwan, head of the center, said. "There should be some countermeasures to prevent such tragedies.''

Samsung Life analyzed data from April, 2005 to February, 2008. On top of poor working conditions, the lack of medical treatment resulted in fatalities, An said. But the official said that the situation could be a lot worse than the official data, considering the cases of illegal foreign workers in even worse conditions. "The actual death toll could be much higher as illegal migrant workers are not even taken into consideration in these figures,'' An said. As of March, there were a total of 230,000 illegal immigrants reported in the nation who remain uninsured. "They work for too long hours under poor working conditions, 12 hours without rest and seven days a week,'' the official said. "They can't take a shower properly at their flat. Given this, a tragic result is not a surprise.''

Spotlight Fighting back against stigma Dong Duc Thanh, Viet Nam

2008-02-18T00:40:00.000-08:00

An article from the HDN Key Correspondent Team
24 January 2008

Quach Thi Mai is one of just a few HIV-positive people who have dared to face the rampant discrimination inflicted on her by her community. She has refused to accept the suggestion that she is a lesser person because of the disease and is determined to fight for equality for people living with HIV (PLHIV). It is for this reason that the Youth Union Central in Haiphong recently awarded her the Youth a Beautiful Mind award.

I was on my motorbike when my cell phone rang one cold autumn evening. It was Mai, and she sounded really happy. "Thanh! We have just attended a workshop in Ha Long city and we’ll arrive in Ha Noi by seven o' clock. I’m going there because apparently I’ve been awarded a prize . . .”

A few of my friends and I hastily bought a fresh bouquet of flowers and went straight to the opera house where her prize was to be awarded. There in the limelight were the faces of 78 young Vietnamese, who had come from all over the country to receive achievement awards.

None of the delegates or guests seemed to realise that one of the prize recipients was a woman living with HIV. Mai lost both her parents when she was 15 years old. She finished high school and enrolled in a social science and humanism degree at Hanoi University but couldn’t afford to continue and was forced to abandon her studies. She ended up working in a leather shoe company, as she tried to support her younger siblings.

“It was about June, 2000, when I gave birth to a baby, who was HIV-positive. Back then there was no counselling or anything like that,” Mai said.

“The hospital had sent my test result to my local doctor. Suddenly everyone knew about it, and I didn’t understand how they had found out that I was HIV positive. I just wanted to cry, to scream … but I couldn’t.”

“My daughter’s grandfather dared not take us in. Neighbours eventually prevented their children from playing with my daughter. My friends didn’t want to say hello to me.”

Then Mai lost her job and she was forced to work in a vegetable garden and sell her produce. But she found that it was impossible to sell her products because the community had labelled them ‘AIDS vegetables’.

The stigma and discrimination she faced forced Mai to think of ways to educate people about HIV . She began to look into programmes in her area and started participating in the Hai Au club, funded by Family Health International, which brings PLHIV together for emotional support.

Mai completed several training courses organized by CARE and the Health Policy Initiative (HPI). She now says she feels more confident and she is able to care for herself, as well as counsel other people. She is also a confident public speaker.

"From the start, the Policy project has supported us. We have also received a small grant from the Policy . . . to establish the Haiphong Bright Future Group, which has now been renamed Ocean Love,” Mai said.

“We established many groups in the Haiphong. We do not have expenses but we still receive technical support from the HPI and HPI is helping us to apply for funding from other organizations.

“We hope we will continue to receive both financial and technical support so that we can strengthen the co-operation and networking between groups in Hai Phong"In April 2005, the Committee for the People of Haiphong City wrote Mai's name in the city’s gold book and gave her a certificate of merit in recognition of her work and achievements. On October 5, 2006, the Vietnamese Youth Union awarded her the Youth to Live Beautifully award.

[HDN 2008]

The KC Team is coordinated by Health & Development Networks (HDN).

Website: www.thecorrespondent.org Email: info@thecorrespondent.org

हिन्दी वेर्सिओं:

अन अर्तिक्ले फ्रॉम थे ह्दं के कोर्रेस्पोंदेंत टीम - २४ जनुँरी २००८

कुअच थी मई इस ओने ऑफ़ जुस्त अ फेव हिव-पोसितिवे पीपुल व्हो हवे दरेड टू फस थे राम्पंत दिस्क्रिमिनाशन इन्फ्लिक्टेद ओं हेर बी हेर कोम्मुनिटी. शे हस रेफुसेद टू अच्सप्त थे सुग्गेस्शन ठाट शे इस अ लेस्सेर परसों बेकाउसे ऑफ़ थे दिसेअसे एंड इस देतेर्मिनेद टू फिघ्त फॉर एकुँलिटी फॉर पीपुल लिविंग विथ हिव (प्ल्हिव). आईटी इस फॉर थिस रेअसों ठाट थे यूथ यूनियन सेन्ट्रल इन हैफोंग रेसन्त्ली अवार्देद हेर थे यूथ अ बेऔतिफुल मंद अवार्ड.

इ वास ओं माय मोतोर्बिके व्हें माय सेल फ़ोन रंग ओने कोल्ड औतुमं एवेनिंग. आईटी वास मई, एंड शे सौन्देद रेअल्ली हैप्पी. "थांह! वे हवे जुस्त अत्तेंदेद अ वर्कशॉप इन हा लॉन्ग सिटी एंड वे’ल अर्रिवे इन हा नोई बी सेवेन ओ' क्लोक्क. इ’म गोइंग तेरे बेकाउसे अप्परेंत्ली इ’वे बीन अवार्देद अ प्रिज़े . . .”

अ फेव ऑफ़ माय फ्रिएंड्स एंड इ हस्तिली बौघ्त अ फ्रेश बौक़ुएत् ऑफ़ फ्लोवेर्स एंड वेंट स्त्रैघ्त टू थे ऑपेरा हौस वेयर हेर प्रिज़े वास टू बे अवार्देद. तेरे इन थे लिमेलिघ्त वेरे थे फसस ऑफ़ ७८ यौंग विएत्नामेसे, व्हो हद काम फ्रॉम अल ओवर थे कोउन्ट्री टू रेसिवे अचिएवेमेंट अवार्ड्स.

नोन ऑफ़ थे देलेगातेस और गुएस्ट्स सीमेद टू रेअलिसे ठाट ओने ऑफ़ थे प्रिज़े रेकिपिएन्त्स् वास अ वूमन लिविंग विथ हिव. मई लोस्त बोट हेर परेंट्स व्हें शे वास १५ येअर्स ओल्ड. शे फिनिशेद हिघ स्चूल एंड एन्रोल्लेद इन अ सोशल स्सिएंस एंड हुमानिस्म डिग्री अत हनोई यूनिवर्सिटी बुत कोउल्दं’टी अफ्फोर्ड टू कोन्तिनुए एंड वास फोर्सद टू अबंदों हेर स्टडीज. शे एन्देद उप वोर्किंग इन अ लीठेर शोए कंपनी, अस शे त्रिएद टू सुप्पोर्ट हेर यौन्गेर सिब्लिंग्स.

“आईटी वास अबाउट जून, २०००, व्हें इ गावे बिरथ टू अ बेबी, व्हो वास हिव-पोसितिवे. बेक थें तेरे वास नो कोउन्सेल्लिंग और अन्य्थिंग लिके ठाट,” मई सैद.

“थे हॉस्पिटल हद सेंट माय टेस्ट रिजल्ट टू माय लोकल डॉक्टर. सुद्देंली एवेर्योने क्नेव अबाउट आईटी, एंड इ दिदं’टी उन्देर्स्तंद हाउ थे हद फौंद आउट ठाट इ वास हिव पोसितिवे. इ जुस्त वांटेड टू क्रय, टू स्क्रें … बुत इ कोउल्दं’टी.”

“माय दौघ्टर’स ग्रंद्फाठेर दरेड नोट टेक उस इन. निघ्बौर्स एवेंतुअल्ली प्रेवेंतेद ठिर चिल्ड्रेन फ्रॉम प्लायिंग विथ माय दौघ्टर. माय फ्रिएंड्स दिदं’टी वांट टू से हेल्लो टू मी.”

थें मई लोस्त हेर जॉब एंड शे वास फोर्सद टू वर्क इन अ वेगेताब्ले गार्डन एंड सेल हेर प्रोदुस. बुत शे फौंद ठाट आईटी वास इम्पोस्सिब्ले टू सेल हेर प्रोदुक्ट्स बेकाउसे थे कोम्मुनिटी हद लाबेल्लेद थेम ‘एड्स वेगेताब्लेस’.

थे स्तिगमा एंड दिस्क्रिमिनाशन शे फसद फोर्सद मई टू थिंक ऑफ़ वायस टू एदुकाते पीपुल अबाउट हिव . शे बेगन टू लुक इन्तो प्रोग्रम्मेस इन हेर एरिया एंड स्तार्तेद पर्तिसिपतिंग इन थे है औ क्लब, फुन्देद बी फमिली हैल्थ इंटरनेशनल, व्हिच ब्रिंग्स प्ल्हिव तोगेठेर फॉर इमोशनल सुप्पोर्ट.

मई कोम्प्लेतेद सेवेरल ट्रेनिंग कोउर्सेस ओर्गानिजेद बी करे एंड थे हैल्थ पॉलिसी इनितिअतिवे (ह्पी). शे नो सय्स शे फील्स मोरे कांफिदेंत एंड शे इस अबले टू करे फॉर हेर्सेल्फ़, अस वेल्ल अस कोउन्सेल ओथेर पीपुल. शे इस अल्सो अ कांफिदेंत पब्लिक स्पीकर.

"फ्रॉम थे स्टार्ट, थे पॉलिसी प्रोजेक्ट हस सुप्पोर्तेद उस. वे हवे अल्सो रेसिवेद अ स्माल ग्रांट फ्रॉम थे पॉलिसी . . . टू एस्ताब्लिश थे हैफोंग ब्रिघ्त फुतुरे ग्रुप, व्हिच हस नो बीन रेनामेद ओसान लव,” मई सैद.

“वे एस्ताब्लिशेद मानी ग्रौप्स इन थे हैफोंग. वे दो नोट हवे एक्स्पेंसेस बुत वे स्टील रेसिवे टेक्नीकल सुप्पोर्ट फ्रॉम थे ह्पी एंड ह्पी इस हेल्पिंग उस टू अप्प्ली फॉर फुन्डिंग फ्रॉम ओथेर ओर्गनिज़तिओन्स्.

“वे होप वे विल कोन्तिनुए टू रेसिवे बोट फिनान्सिअल एंड टेक्नीकल सुप्पोर्ट सो ठाट वे कैन स्त्रेंग्त्हें थे को-ऑपरेशन एंड नेत्वोर्किंग बेत्वीन ग्रौप्स इन है फोंग"इन अप्रिल २००५, थे कमिटी फॉर थे पीपुल ऑफ़ हैफोंग सिटी व्रोते मई'स नेम इन थे सिटी’स गोल्ड बुक एंड गावे हेर अ सर्तिफिकाते ऑफ़ मृत इन रेकोग्निशन ऑफ़ हेर वर्क एंड अचिएवेमेंट्स. ओं अक्टूबर ५, २००६, थे विएत्नामेसे यूथ यूनियन अवार्देद हेर थे यूथ टू लाइव बौतिफुल्ली अवार्ड.
[ह्दं २००८]

थे कक टीम इस कुर्दिनातेद बी हैल्थ & देवेलोप्मेंट नेटवर्क्स (ह्दं).
वेबसाइट: व्व्व.ठेकोर्रेस्पोंदेंत.ओआरजी ईमेल: इन्फो@ठेकोर्रेस्पोंदेंत.ओआरजी

தமிழ் வேர்சின்:

அன் அர்டிச்லே பிரோம் தி ஹைடன் கி கோர்றேச்போண்டேன்ட் டீம் - ௨௪ ஜனவரி ௨00௮
குஅச் தி மை இஸ் ஒன் ஒப் ஜஸ்ட் ஏ பெவ் ஹிவ்-போசிடிவே பெஒப்லே வதோ ஹவே டறேது டு பாகே தி ரம்பன்ட் டிஸ்க்ரிமிநடிஒந் இன்பிளிச்டேது ஆன் ஹேர் பி ஹேர் கோம்முநிட்டி. ஷி ஹாஸ் றேபிஉசெது டு அச்செப்ட் தி சுக்கேச்டின் தட் ஷி இஸ் ஏ லேச்செர் பெர்சன் பெகுசே ஒப் தி டிசேஅசே அண்ட் இஸ் தேடேர்மிநேது டு பிக்த்ட் போர் எகுஅலிட்ய் போர் பெஒப்லே லிவிங் வித் ஹிவ் (ப்ல்திவ்). இட் இஸ் போர் திஸ் ரேஅசொன் தட் தி யூத் உணின் சென்ட்ரல் இன் ஹைபோங் ரேசென்த்லி அவர்தேது ஹேர் தி யூத் ஏ பெஔடிபுல் மிந்து அவரது.

இ வாஸ் ஆன் மி மொடோர்பிகே வென் மி செல் போன் ர் ஒன் காலத் ஆடும்ன் எவேநிங். இட் வாஸ் மை, அண்ட் ஷி சௌண்டேது ரேஅல்லி ஹப்பி. "தன்! வி ஹவே ஜஸ்ட் அட்டேண்டேது ஏ வோர்க்ஷோப் இன் ஹ லாங் சிட்டி அண்ட் வி’ல் அர்ரிவே இன் ஹ நோய் பி செவேன் ஒ' ச்லோச்க். இ’ம் கோஇங் தேரே பெகுசே அப்பறேன்த்லி இ’வே பீன் அவர்தேது ஏ ப்ரிழே . . .”

ஏ பெவ் ஒப் மி பிரிஎண்ட்ஸ் அண்ட் இ ஹச்டிலி பௌக்த்ட் ஏ பிரெஷ் பௌகுஎட் ஒப் பிலோவேர்ஸ் அண்ட் வெண்ட் ச்ற்றைக்த்ட் டு தி ஒபெற ஹௌஸ் வ்தேரே ஹேர் ப்ரிழே வாஸ் டு பே அவர்தேது. தேரே இன் தி லிமேளிக்த்ட் வேறே தி பாக்ஸ் ஒப் ௭௮ எங் விஎட்நமெஸெ, வதோ ஹாத் கம் பிரோம் ஆல் ஓவர் தி குன்றி டு ரேசெஇவே அசிஎவேமேன்ட் அவார்ட்ஸ்.

னோனே ஒப் தி தேலேகடேஸ் ஓர் குஎச்த்ஸ் சீமெந்து டு ரேஅளிசே தட் ஒன் ஒப் தி ப்ரிழே ரெகிபிஎந்ட்ஸ் வாஸ் ஏ வோமன் லிவிங் வித் ஹிவ். மை லோச்ட் போத ஹேர் பறேன்த்ஸ் வென் ஷி வாஸ் ௧௫ எஅர்ஸ் ஓல்ட். ஷி பிநிஷேது ஹிக் ஸ்கூல் அண்ட் என்றோல்லேது இன் ஏ சோசியல் சயின்ஸ் அண்ட் ஹுமநிசம் டிகிரி அட் ஹனோய் உநிவேர்சிட்டி பட் கொழ்ட்ன்’த அபிபிஒர்து டு கொந்டிநுஎ அண்ட் வாஸ் போர்செது டு அபண்டோன் ஹேர் ச்டுடிஎஸ். ஷி என்தேது உப வோர்கிங் இன் ஏ லேஅதேர் சூ கம்பெனி, அச ஷி ற்றிஎது டு சப்போர்ட் ஹேர் யூங்கேர் சிப்ளிங்க்ஸ்.

“இட் வாஸ் அபௌட் ஜூன், ௨000, வென் இ கவே பிரத் டு ஏ பேபி, வதோ வாஸ் ஹிவ்-போசிடிவே. பாசக் தென் தேரே வாஸ் நோ கொன்செல்லிங் ஓர் அன்ய்திங் லைக் தட்,” மை சைட்.

“தி ஹோச்பிடல் ஹாத் சென்ட் மி டெஸ்ட் ரிசல்ட் டு மி லோக்கல் டாக்டர். சுட்டேன்லி எவேர்யோனே க்நெவ் அபௌட் இட், அண்ட் இ திடன்’த உண்டேர்ஷ்டந்து ஹொவ் தே ஹாத் பௌந்து அவுட் தட் இ வாஸ் ஹிவ் போசிடிவே. இ ஜஸ்ட் வாண்டேது டு சரி, டு ச்ச்றேஅம் … பட் இ கொழ்ட்ன்’த.”

“மி டுக்த்டேர்’ச க்ரண்ட்பாதேர் டறேது நாட் டேக் உஸ் இன். நெயக்த்பௌர்ஸ் எவேண்டுஅல்லி ப்றேவேண்டேது தெயர் சில்றேன் பிரோம் ப்ளையிங் வித் மி டுக்த்டேர். மி பிரிஎண்ட்ஸ் திடன்’த வான்ட் டு செ ஹலோ டு மீ.”

தென் மை லோச்ட் ஹேர் சோப் அண்ட் ஷி வாஸ் போர்செது டு வொர்க் இன் ஏ வேகேடப்லே கார்டன் அண்ட் செல் ஹேர் ப்ரோடுசே. பட் ஷி பௌந்து தட் இட் வாஸ் இம்போச்சிப்லே டு செல் ஹேர் ப்ரோடுக்ட்ஸ் பெகுசே தி கோம்முநிட்டி ஹாத் லபெல்லேது தேம் ‘ஐட்ஸ் வேகேடப்லேஸ்’.

தி ச்டிக்ம அண்ட் டிஸ்க்ரிமிநடிஒந் ஷி பாசெது போர்செது மை டு தினக் ஒப் வாய்ஸ் டு எடுக்காதே பெஒப்லே அபௌட் ஹிவ் . ஷி பேகன் டு லுக் இன்டோ ப்ரோக்ரம்மேஸ் இன் ஹேர் ஏரியா அண்ட் ச்டர்டேது பர்டிசிபடிங் இன் தி ஹாய் ஆ கிளப், புண்டேது பி பாமிலி ஹீஅழ்த் இன்டர்நேஷனல், வ்சிச் பிரின்ஸ் ப்ல்திவ் டோகேதேர் போர் எமொடிஒனால் சப்போர்ட்.

மை கோம்ப்லேடேது செவேறல் ட்ரைனிங் கொர்செஸ் ஒர்கநிழேது பி கேர் அண்ட் தி ஹீஅழ்த் பாலிசி இனிதியாடிவே (ஹபி). ஷி நொவ் சாய்ஸ் ஷி பீல்ஸ் மோர் காங்பிதேன்ட் அண்ட் ஷி இஸ் அப்லே டு கேர் போர் ஹெர்ஸெல்ப், அச வெள் அச கொன்செல் அதர் பெஒப்லே. ஷி இஸ் அலசோ ஏ காங்பிதேன்ட் பப்ளிக் ஸ்பீக்கர்.

"பிரோம் தி ஸ்டார்ட், தி பாலிசி ப்ராஜெக்ட் ஹாஸ் சுப்போர்டேது உஸ். வி ஹவே அலசோ றேசெஇவேது ஏ ஸ்மைல் கிராண்ட் பிரோம் தி பாலிசி . . . டு ஈஸ்டப்ளிஷ் தி ஹைபோங் ப்ரிக்த்ட் புடுரே குரூப், வ்சிச் ஹாஸ் நொவ் பீன் ரேனமேது ஒசெதான் லவ்,” மை சைட்.

“வி ஈஸ்டப்ளிஷேது மணி கிரௌப்ஸ் இன் தி ஹைபோங். வி டூ நாட் ஹவே எக்ஸ்பென்செஸ் பட் வி ஸ்டில் ரேசெஇவே டேச்னிகால் சப்போர்ட் பிரோம் தி ஹபி அண்ட் ஹபி இஸ் ஹெல்பிங் உஸ் டு அப்ப்லி போர் புண்டிங் பிரோம் அதர் ஒர்கநிழஅடிஒன்ஸ்.

“வி ஹோபே வி வில் கொந்டிநுஎ டு ரேசெஇவே போத பினன்சியால் அண்ட் டேச்னிகால் சப்போர்ட் சோ தட் வி கேன் ச்ற்றேங்க்தேன் தி க-ஆபரேஷன் அண்ட் நேற்வோர்கிங் பெத்வீன் கிரௌப்ஸ் இன் ஹாய் போன்"இன் ஏப்ரல் ௨00௫, தி கோம்மிட்டீ போர் தி பெஒப்லே ஒப் ஹைபோங் சிட்டி வ்ரோடே மை'ச நாமே இன் தி சிட்டி’ச கோல்ட் புக் அண்ட் கவே ஹேர் ஏ சர்டிபிகேட் ஒப் மெரிட் இன் ரெகொக்நிடிஒந் ஒப் ஹேர் வொர்க் அண்ட் அசிஎவெமெந்ட்ஸ். ஆன் அக்டோபர் ௫, ௨00௬, தி விஎட்நமெஸெ யூத் உணின் அவர்தேது ஹேர் தி யூத் டு லைவ் பெஔடிபுல்ல்ய் அவரது.
[ஹைடன் ௨00௮]

தி கக் டீம் இஸ் சூர்டினடேது பி ஹீஅழ்த் & தேவேலோப்மேன்ட் நெட்வொர்க்ஸ் (ஹைடன்).
வெப்சைட்: வ்வ்வ்.தேகோர்றேச்போண்டேன்ட்.ஒர்க் ஈமெயில்: இந்பொ@தேகோர்றேச்போண்டேன்ட்.ஒர்க்

Seeking volunteers for "day off" campaign for migrant domestic workers

2008-02-18T00:36:00.000-08:00

UNIFEM, HOME and TWC2 will be embarking on a year long campaign for a weekly day off for migrant domestic workers. Many migrant domestic workers work round the clock for the duration of their employment with little time off. A weekly rest day, which many of us take for granted, is not a legal right for these workers. Many of them depend on the generosity of employers to enjoy what should be a basic right of all workers.

For this year's campaign, we are planning to embark on the following activities to raise awareness of this issue:
1) Campaign poster on the North East Line

2) Campaign website

3) Creating a petition

4) School talks

5) Public forum

6) Creating zo cards, and other publicity collaterals

We are planning to launch this on Labour Day. The purpose of this meeting is to update all of you on the issue, and get ready the campaign tools and strategy. it is also a brainstorming session to get your ideas and feedback on the campaign. Any prior relevant experience would be useful. We would like to establish a working group of volunteers who can work on various aspects of the campaign.

If you are interested in this campaign, please reply to this message or email JOLOVAN WHAM at jolovan@gmail.com.
Date of Meeting: 23rd Feb, Saturday

Time: 11:00am to 1:00pm

Venue: UNIFEM Singapore Office, 2 Nassim Road (Walking Distance from Orchard MRT)

International AIDS Conference - Mexico

2008-02-18T00:23:00.000-08:00

AIDS 2008 Update

In this update, we would like to bring to your attention the many deadlines in the month of February: the standard registration fee ends (late surcharge begins) and registration by 19 February is recommended. Proposals for programme activities - including skills building workshops and applications for the Global Village, Cultural and Youth Programmes - close. Abstract submitters have less than three weeks to submit their abstracts and only Late Breaker Abstract submissions will be accepted thereafter, from 20 May.

The most up-to-date information can be found on the conference website www.aids2008.org

In this issue:
1. Key Dates and Deadlines
2. Access to Online Applications
3. Registration
4. Letter of Invitation
5. Programme Activities
a) Skills Building Workshops and Selection Process
b) Global Village
c) Cultural Programme
d) Youth Programme
6. Conference Hubs

1. Key Dates and Deadlines
19 February 2008
- Standard registration fee ends (late surcharge begins 20 February)
- Skills building workshop proposals close
- Global Village applications close
- Cultural Programme applications close
- Youth Programme applications close Abstract submission closes

The Global Village, a free space to share significant AIDS experiences

The International AIDS Conference is the most important gathering for the release and discussion of scientific, programmatic and policy developments in the global response to HIV/AIDS. The conference will be held from 3-8 August 2008 in Mexico City and it will be the first International AIDS Conference ever held in Latin America.

In addition to scientific sessions, the conference programme will include three major activities with the main objective to share significant AIDS experience as well as social, cultural and artistic expressions from people around the world:

Youth Programme. Aimed to strengthen youth participation in the Conference through activities such as Youth Pavilion, Youth Online Bulletin, Media Center, web site and another activities.

Cultural Programme, aimed to highlight art and cultural expressions role in the prevention and response to HIV/AIDS through visual arts, literature, movies and videos, theatre and another artistic activities.

Global Village. Held to increase and promote community involvement to the International AIDS Conference. The Global Village is a special space within the Conference, concurrent with sessions and open to the public. It is rich in diversity and with greater opportunity to learn from one another.

The Global Village has the objective of intensifying the involvement of affected and marginalized communities (people living with HIV/AIDS, youth, women, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transsexual/transgendered people, sex workers, as well as other communities from most affected regions of the world) in the Conference and in the global response to HIV/AIDS, in order to bring effective prevention and treatment.

Global Village Activities

Sessions, forums and oral presentations. A broad range of interactive and participatory sessions, forums and oral presentations organized in partnership with various social organizations.

Daily live plenary broadcasts and “Meet the Plenary Speakers” sessions. The five daily plenary sessions (from August 4-8) will be simultaneously broadcast onto screens in the Global Village sessions halls and the Main Stage. At lunch time each day, the plenary speakers from the morning session will go to the Global Village Main Stage to deliver a summary of their presentation and to participate in moderated question and answer sessions.

Networking zones. Activities, interactive awareness-raising, workshops and educational displays about issues such as most vulnerable regions, complementary therapies, gay and men who have sex with men, harm reduction, new prevention technologies, people living with HIV/AIDS, sex workers, women, children, etc.

The Youth Pavilion. To highlight and showcase youth achievements in the global response to HIV/AIDS through diverse activities.

Non governmental organizations exhibition booths. Free (no fee charged) booth space provided for selected not profit social organizations, AIDS service organizations and community-based organizations to display, provide and share their work, programming, resources, strategies and other related information.

Market place booths. A space for AIDS organizations to fundraise by selling their products, created by/for people living with HIV /AIDS as well as caregivers and others affected by the pandemic.

Virtual Global Village. A Global Village website will be created to enable people from across the world to have access to the Global Village sessions, forums and oral presentations and to participate in discussion boards and e-forums.

Cultural activities. These will include visual arts, literature, movies and videos, community radio, theatre and another artistic activities.

Applications online for the Global Village and for the Youth and Cultural Programmes are now open and they will be closed on February 19th. Details and application guidelines are available at www.aids2008.org

UN Envoy Urges Indonesia to Step Up AIDS Battle

2008-02-17T23:58:00.000-08:00

The special UN envoy for HIV/AIDS in Asia and the Pacific recently called for more aggressive efforts in Indonesia to prevent the spread of the disease to the general population। Indonesia faces a growing AIDS problem, particularly among drug users and prostitutes। However, the country's overall estimated HIV infection rate remains among the lowest in the region, about 0।4 percent of the populeshan.

"The window of opportunity is now open to keep the epidemic at low levels," said Nafis Sadik, the UN envoy। She recommended Indonesia step up its current programs to promote behavior change and the use of condoms.

According to the National AIDS Commission, religious groups in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation, have strongly criticized campaigns promoting condom use, saying they encourage promiscuity।

The commission estimates Indonesia will have 1 million HIV/AIDS cases by 2015 if more is not done to fight the disease। Currently, the government has recorded 10,000 AIDS cases, but the commission estimates there are hundreds of thousands of unreported cases.

Sadik said the province of Papua, on Indonesia's easternmost fringe, requires special attention as the disease has started to spread from prostitutes to housewives। Papua's number of cases is nearly 20 times the national average, according to a 2007 government survey. Health experts say the disease has been spreading rapidly in Papua due to several factors: high rates of promiscuity, rituals in some tribes entailing partner swapping, poor education about AIDS, and lack of condoms.

Hindi Version:

।reuters।com/">http://www।reuters।com/ (०२।०८।०८)
थे स्पेशल उन एन्वोय फॉर हिव/एड्स इन एशिया एंड थे पैसिफिक रेसन्त्ली कॉल्ड फॉर मोरे अग्ग्रेस्सिवे एफ्फोर्ट्स इन इन्डोनेसिया टू प्रेवेंत थे स्प्रेअद ऑफ़ थे दिसेअसे टू थे जनरल पोपुलेशन। इन्डोनेसिया फसस अ ग्रोविंग एड्स प्रॉब्लम, पर्तिकुलार्ली अमोंग दृग उसेर्स एंड प्रोस्तितुतेस। होवेवर, थे कोउन्ट्री'स ओवेराल्ल एस्तिमतेद हिव इन्फेक्शन राते रेमैंस अमोंग थे लोवेस्त इन थे रेगिओं, अबाउट ०.४ परसेंट ऑफ़ थे पोपुलेशन.

"थे विंडो ऑफ़ ओप्पोर्तुनिटी इस नो ओपन टू कीप थे एपिदेमिक अत लो लेवेल्स," सैद नफीस सादिक, थे उन एन्वोय. शे रेकोम्मेंदेद इन्डोनेसिया स्टेप उप इट्स करंट प्रोग्राम्स टू प्रमोट बेहविओर चंगे एंड थे उसे ऑफ़ कोन्दोम्स.

अच्कोर्डिंग टू थे नेशनल एड्स कमीशन, रेलिगिऔस् ग्रौप्स इन इन्डोनेसिया, थे वर्ल्ड'स मोस्ट पोपुलोउस मुस्लिम नेशन, हवे स्त्रोंग्ली क्रितिसिजेद काम्पैग्न्स प्रोमोतिंग कंडोम उसे, सयिंग थे एन्कोउरागे प्रोमिस्कुइत्य्.

थे कमीशन एस्तिमतेस इन्डोनेसिया विल हवे १ मिलियन हिव/एड्स केसेस बी २०१५ इफ मोरे इस नोट दोने टू फिघ्त थे दिसेअसे. कर्रेंत्ली, थे गवर्नमेंट हस रेकोर्देद १०,००० एड्स केसेस, बुत थे कमीशन एस्तिमतेस तेरे अरे हुन्द्रेड्स ऑफ़ थौसंड्स ऑफ़ उन्रेपोर्तेद केसेस.

सादिक सैद थे प्रोविंस ऑफ़ पापुआ, ओं इन्डोनेसिया'स एकास्तेर्न्मोस्त फ्रिंगे, रेकुइरेस स्पेशल अत्तेंशन अस थे दिसेअसे हस स्तार्तेद टू स्प्रेअद फ्रॉम प्रोस्तितुतेस टू हौसेविवेस. पापुआ'स नम्बर ऑफ़ केसेस इस नेअर्ली २० तिमेस थे नेशनल एवरेज, अच्कोर्डिंग टू अ २००७ गवर्नमेंट सर्वे. हैल्थ एक्स्पेर्ट्स से थे दिसेअसे हस बीन स्प्रेअदिंग रापिद्ली इन पापुआ ड्यू टू सेवेरल फक्टोर्स: हिघ रतेस ऑफ़ प्रोमिस्कुइत्य्, रितुअल्स इन सोम त्रिबेस एन्तैलिंग पार्टनर स्वप्पिंग, पूर एदुकाशन अबाउट एड्स, एंड लैक ऑफ़ कोन्दोम्स।

Tamil Version:

।reuters।com/">http://www।reuters।com/ (0௨।0௮।0௮)
தி ஸ்பெஷல் உன் என்வாய் போர் ஹிவ்/ஐட்ஸ் இன் ஆசியா அண்ட் தி பசிபிக் ரேசென்த்லி கல்லேது போர் மோர் அக்க்றேச்சிவே எபிபிஒர்த்ஸ் இன் இந்தோனேசியா டு ப்றேவேன்ட் தி ச்ப்றேஅது ஒப் தி டிசேஅசே டு தி ஜெனரல் போபுலடின்। இந்தோனேசியா பாக்ஸ் ஏ க்ரோவிங் ஐட்ஸ் ப்ரோப்லேம், பர்டிகிலர்லி அமோங் திருக் உசெர்ஸ் அண்ட் ப்ரோச்டிடுடேஸ்। ஹோவேவேர், தி குன்றி'ச ஒவேரல் ஈஸ்டிமடேது ஹிவ் இந்பிச்டின் ரேட் ரேமைன்ஸ் அமோங் தி லோவேச்ட் இன் தி ரேகின், அபௌட் 0.௪ பெர்செண்ட் ஒப் தி போபுலேஷன்.

"தி விண்டோ ஒப் ஒப்போர்டுநிட்டி இஸ் நொவ் ஓப்பன் டு கீப் தி எபிதேமிக் அட் லோ லேவேல்ஸ்," சைட் நபிஸ் சாடிக், தி உன் என்வாய். ஷி ரேகோம்மேண்டேது இந்தோனேசியா ஸ்டெப் உப இட்ஸ் கரண்ட் ப்ரோக்ரம்ஸ் டு ப்ரோமொடே பெதவிஒர் சங்கே அண்ட் தி உஸ் ஒப் காங்டோம்ஸ்.

அச்கோர்டிங் டு தி நேஷனல் ஐட்ஸ் கமிஷன், ரெலிகிஔஸ் கிரௌப்ஸ் இன் இந்தோனேசியா, தி வேர்ல்ட்'ச மோஸ்ட் போபுலௌஸ் முஸ்லீம் நாடின், ஹவே ச்ற்றோங்க்லி ச்ரிடிசிழேது காம்பைக்ன்ஸ் ப்ரோமொடிங் கொண்டோம் உஸ், சயிங் தே என்சௌரகே ப்ரொமிஸ்குஇட்ய்.

தி கமிஷன் ஈஸ்டிமடேஸ் இந்தோனேசியா வில் ஹவே ௧ மில்லியன் ஹிவ்/ஐட்ஸ் கசெஸ் பி ௨0௧௫ இப் மோர் இஸ் நாட் டன் டு பிக்த்ட் தி டிசேஅசே. கிர்றேன்த்லி, தி கோவேர்ந்மேன்ட் ஹாஸ் ரேகோர்தேது ௧0,000 ஐட்ஸ் கசெஸ், பட் தி கமிஷன் ஈஸ்டிமடேஸ் தேரே ஆர் ஹுன்றேட்ஸ் ஒப் தௌசண்ட்ஸ் ஒப் உன்றேபோர்டேது கசெஸ்.

சாடிக் சைட் தி ப்ரோவின்சே ஒப் பபுபட்ட, ஆன் இந்தோனேசியா'ச எஅச்டேர்ந்மொச்ட் பிரிங்கே, ரெகுஇரெஸ் ஸ்பெஷல் அட்டேண்டின் அச தி டிசேஅசே ஹாஸ் ச்டர்டேது டு ச்ப்றேஅது பிரோம் ப்ரோச்டிடுடேஸ் டு ஹௌசெவிவேஸ். பபுபட்ட'ச நம்பர் ஒப் கசெஸ் இஸ் நேஅர்லி ௨0 டைம்ஸ் தி நேஷனல் அவேரகே, அச்கோர்டிங் டு ஏ ௨00௭ கோவேர்ந்மேன்ட் சர்வே. ஹீஅழ்த் எக்ஸ்பெர்த்ஸ் செ தி டிசேஅசே ஹாஸ் பீன் ச்ப்றேஅடிங் ரபிட்லி இன் பபுபட்ட பே டு செவேறல் பாக்டோர்ஸ்: ஹிக் ரத்ஸ் ஒப் ப்ரொமிஸ்குஇட்ய், ரிடுஅல்ஸ் இன் சொமே ட்ரிப்ஸ் என்டைளிங் பர்த்நேர் ச்வப்பிங், பூர் எடுகாடின் அபௌட் ஐட்ஸ், அண்ட் லச்க் ஒப் காங்டோம்ஸ்.

Empowerment for HIV Positive Migrants and Spouses

How Bill Gates Blew $258 million in India's HIV Corridor

Day 1 UNAIDS PCB Meeting - 22 June 2009

Thematic Segment – “People on the Move – Forced displacement and migrant populations”

How mobility affects HIV vulnerability?

Day 2 UNAIDS PCB Meeting - 23 June 2009

Report of UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibe

Report by Chairperson – Ethiopia

Unified Budget and Workplan [UBW]

NGO Delegation’s Report

Day 3 UNAIDS PCB Meeting - 24 June 2009

Cooperation with Global Fund: Support Mechanisms for African States

Gender Sensitivity of AIDS Responses

“One UN” Country Pilot

The Second Independent Evaluation on PCB

ICAAP9 BALI

Update on TFEM

International AIDS Conference - Mexico

IAC Programmes

TFEM Workshop on ADVOCACY AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS BUILDING

International AIDS Conference 2008

Programme Activities

Cyclone Nargis Leaves HIV/AIDS Patients More Vulnerable

Call for Action: Myanmar Cyclone Nargis Emergency Response and the needs of the People Living with HIV (PLHIV) Community

U.S. Senators Block Key HIV/Aids Legislation

STOP THE ARRESTS, DETENTION AND SALE OF REFUGEES IN MALAYSIA

ASEAN MEETING

A stronger civil society voice in the UNAIDS work

the Star News: Sunday April 20, 2008

By JASON LIOH

Migrant workers deceived, stranded in Bandung

Remittances from migrant workers increased by 15 percent to Rs 2.5 billion

http://www.island.lk/2008/04/21/business5.html Remittances from the migrant workers recorded a 2,502 million US Dollars during 2007, an increase of 15 percent from the previous year.

Government wants zero dependence on non-Malaysian workers

Flaw in foreign worker supply

Thursday April 17, 2008

Labour Day Celebration

AIDS Festival 2008

Immigration uncovers illegal outsourcing

No more Sri Lankan housemaids to Middle East?

UN News Service: Myanmar, migrant workers on agenda as UN labour policy group convenes

Empowerment of women: Who cares?

Over 200 Migrant Workers Dead Over Last Three Years

Spotlight Fighting back against stigma Dong Duc Thanh, Viet Nam

Seeking volunteers for "day off" campaign for migrant domestic workers

International AIDS Conference - Mexico

UN Envoy Urges Indonesia to Step Up AIDS Battle

http://www.island.lk/2008/04/21/business5.html

Remittances from the migrant workers recorded a 2,502 million US Dollars during 2007, an increase of 15 percent from the previous year.