AEGiS-09IAC: National AIDS program response to human rights violations of PWA's: the Mexican experience.

9th International AIDS Conference


Berlin, Germany — June 6-11, 1993

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National AIDS program response to human rights violations of PWA's: the Mexican experience.

Int Conf AIDS 1993 Jun 6-11; 9:125 (abstract no. WS-D22-4)
Panebianco S, Uribe P, del Rio C, Hernandez G, Rico B, Sepulveda J; Conasida Mexico.

INTRODUCTION: In Mexico CONASIDA has initiated a strategy to promote respect of human rights of PWA's and responding to their needs once violations have occurred.

OBJECTIVES: To coordinate efforts with other public institutions and NGO's to avoid discrimination. To make the public and decision makers aware of the human rights related to AIDS. To directly intervene in assisting PWA's whose human rights have been violated.

METHODS: Promotion of the respect of human rights of PWA's through training, mass-media campaigns, brochures, press conferences and lectures. A specific department was created to provide counseling, social support, legal orientation and advocacy for special needs (ej: prisoners) staffed by a social worker and a lawyer that give follow up to cases and final recommendations.

RESULTS: During 1992 a total of 517 cases were assisted, 191 were human rights violations and 326 demands for social aid. Causes of frequent human rights violations included: 43% medical care, 13% at the work place and 21% mandatory HIV testing. Social demands included: need for drugs, funeral services, hospice placement, orientation for relatives and home care for the terminally ill. Two brochures about AIDS and human rights were published with the National Human Rights Commission and NGO's. Authorities were approached to make them human rights advocates and a TV spot was made specifically about human rights.

CONCLUSIONS: Discrimination of PWA's happens in Mexico and may grow. Health care providers are frequent violators and must be targeted with specific actions. The public must be aware that respect for human rights is one of the cornerstones of efficient AIDS policies.

Keywords: AEGIS, Human Rights, Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV Infections, HIV Seropositivity, Hispanic Americans, Public Policy, Prisoners, HIV, Coercion, HIV-1, Mexico, Human, economics, ICA9KWDaegis,humanrights,acquiredimmunodeficiencysyndrome,hivinfections,hivseropositivity,hispanicamericans,publicpolicy,prisoners,hiv,coercion,hiv-1,mexico,human,economics,ica9
930606
WSD224

Copyright © 1993 - International AIDS Society (IAS). Reproduction of this abstract (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the IAS.