IRIN HIV/AIDS Weekly - 296
Africa
11 August 2006


NEWS:

SWAZILAND: AIDS activists say sexual offences bill criminalises victims
TANZANIA: Free food programme to complement free ARVs
LIBERIA: HIV/AIDS education, a first for Liberian classrooms
SWAZILAND: Toll-free help line to curb suicides
IRAQ: HIV-positive couple murdered
THAILAND: Activists want rights of HIV-positive people protected

EVENTS

1. HIV/AIDS Laboratory Capacity: Book and CD Launch

VACANCIES

1. HIV/AIDS Media and Communication Officer - South Africa
2. Community Mobilisation Advisor - Zambia


NEWS

SWAZILAND: AIDS activists say sexual offences bill criminalises victims

Groups representing Swaziland's HIV-positive population are angry at a 
proposed Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Act mandating life prison 
terms for rapists who infect their victims with HIV, claiming that the 
law will criminalise the victim.

"The world over, HIV is not regarded as a sin or an offence. Negative 
and positive persons must be accorded equal rights, which should be 
applicable even in a court of law. But what are we criminalising here? 
Sleeping with someone without his or her consent, in other words rape, 
or HIV?" said Thembi Nkambule, National coordinator of the Swaziland 
National Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (SWANNEPHA), an 
HIV/AIDS umbrella organisation.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6233


TANZANIA: Free food programme to complement free ARVs

The treatment and care of HIV-positive Tanzanians, more than half of 
whom live below the poverty line, must go well beyond merely providing 
life-prolonging medication if it is to be successful.

"Most patients are poor. The medicines become irritants when they react 
with the walls of the stomach, exacerbating the side effects of the 
drugs. Without money to buy food, they are forced to literally feed on 
the drugs," said Monica Joseph, an HIV/AIDS counsellor and nurse at the 
Shree Hindu Mandal Hospital in the coastal city of Dar es Salaam.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6239


LIBERIA: HIV/AIDS education, a first for Liberian classrooms

HIV/AIDS will be on the curriculum next month for 10,000 Liberian 
students at the Lutheran Church School System, the third largest 
church-school network in Liberia, which has made HIV/AIDS education 
mandatory in its 40 schools.

This is the first time that Liberian school children will receive 
HIV/AIDS education in the classroom, in a country where HIV infection 
was estimated in 2003 by UNAIDS to be 5.9 percent, or 8.2 percent by 
Liberian health authorities.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6238


SWAZILAND: Toll-free help line to curb suicides

A clash of the old world and the new, recession and the increasing 
incidence of HIV/AIDS in Swaziland has seen the suicide rate spike to 
such levels that the country has established its first toll-free help 
line.

Ten years ago the NGO behind the lifeline initiative, the Swaziland 
Action Group Against Abuse, was the first to introduce the concept of 
telephone counselling for victims of spousal and child abuse. The 
service also provided legal aid and advice, and medical assistance.

"In the old days, life was simpler, and people with problems could turn 
to their extended family - suicide was rare. Today, the traditional 
family cannot cope with modern pressures. There needs to be a place 
where depressed people can go for help," said Nonhlanhla Dlamini, the 
action group's director.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6244


IRAQ: HIV-positive couple murdered

First came the phone call - a man who accused Farid Abbas of carrying 
"an indecent disease" and telling him that he'd be killed "for the 
safety of the country".

Two days later, 42-year-old Abbas, who had been HIV-positive for nine 
years, was gunned down on the street.

"Witnesses said that while the man was shooting him from the window of a 
car, he was shouting loudly, 'Death to all people who carry diseases 
acquired from indecent methods against Islamic beliefs'," said Abbas's 
sister, who asked that her name not be used for security reasons.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6245


THAILAND: Activists want rights of HIV-positive people protected

Thailand's National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) wants the government 
to pass a bill that will protect the rights of the estimated 560,000 
people living with HIV/AIDS in the country.

Thailand's reform-orientated constitution - adopted in 1997 - said that 
Thai citizens would enjoy equal rights and protection under the law 
regardless of sex, origin or religion.

But Pradit Chareonthaitawee, a member of the NHRC and a medical doctor, 
said that Thais living with HIV/AIDS faced discrimination and needed 
specific legislation to safeguard their rights. "We want to protect this 
group of people," Chareonthaitawee said.

More details: http://www.plusnews.org/AIDSreport.asp?ReportID=6246



EVENTS

1. Book and CD Launch during Toronto AIDS Conference

The capacity of laboratories to support AIDS programmes is a critical 
determinant to increasing access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and 
support services.

The book and CD "HIV/AIDS Laboratory Capacity: How far we have come and 
where we are going" will present findings from an African perspective, 
while critically analysing the ability of the region's laboratories to 
respond to the global pandemic. It will also make recommendations for 
achievable interventions in the years ahead.

Date:  Monday 14th August 2006
Venue: Royal York Hotel, British Columbia Room, Mezzanine Floor, 
Toronto, Canada

For more information please contact:
Sara Page,
Deputy Director,
SAfAIDS
Email: sara@safaids.org.zw



VACANCIES

1. The South African AIDS lobby group, Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), 
seeks the services of an experienced Media and Communications Officer, 
to work from their office in either Cape Town or Johannesburg, South 
Africa.

DUTIES:

The successful candidate will report to the Coordinator of Policy, 
Communications and Research, as well as to the TAC General Secretary. 
He/She will be responsible for implementing TAC's media strategy, 
coordinating TAC's spokespersons, liaising with print and electronic 
media journalists, writing press releases and issuing public statements. 
The candidate will also be responsible for systematically updating the 
TAC website and putting together the TAC electronic newsletter.


REQUIREMENTS:

- An excellent understanding of the medical aspects of HIV treatment, 
and the current state of the implementation of the government's 
'Operational Plan for Treatment'.

- At least 3 years' experience in managing a project - including 
planning and budgeting, setting objectives, implementation work plans, 
as well as reporting, monitoring and evaluation.

- A good understanding of the work of TAC.

- Excellent understanding of current health policy and legislative 
environment, and social/political issues relating to HIV/AIDS treatment 
and prevention.


To apply, send a short CV, including three contactable referees, 
preferably previous employers, and a letter stating why you are suitable 
for the position, to:

The Human Resources Manager
Treatment Action Campaign
34 Main Rd; Muizenberg
South Africa
7945.

Or email: ralph@tac.org.za
Closing date: 24 August 2006


2. The Elizabeth Glaser Paediatric AIDS Foundation, a US-based NGO, 
seeks the services of an experienced Community Mobilisation Advisor to 
help strengthen the management and improve the effectiveness of 
anti-AIDS programme in Lusaka, Zambia.

If interested, please visit http://www.pedaids.org to submit your 
application

Reference Code: RW_6RVSHU-75


IRIN-SA
Tel: +27 11 895-1900
Fax: +27 11 784-6759
Email: IRIN-SA@irin.org.za


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