From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.rights.human
Date: 25 Jan 93 10:14 PST
Subject: HUMAN RIGHTS: CONFERENCE CALLS FOR
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1476701035:000:3899
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Jan 25 10:14:00 1993


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: HUMAN RIGHTS: CONFERENCE CALLS FOR 

/* Written 12:19 am  Jan 25, 1993 by newsdesk@igc.apc.org in
igc:ips.englibrary */ Copyright Inter Press Service 1993, all
rights reserved.  Permission to re- print within 7 days of
original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: HUMAN RIGHTS: CONFERENCE CALLS FOR RIGHTS FOR HIV/AIDS
PATIENTS

an inter press service feature

by carlos roverssi

san jose, jan 22 (ips) -- costa rica has proposed that a clause
for the respect for the human rights of person infected with hiv
be included in the final declaration of a regional conference on
human rights ending here friday.

the clause was drafted by various non-governmental organisations
(ngos) working in defense of human rights for persons with the
hiv.

the costa rican proposal is ''concerned with the violation of
human rights of those afflicted with the aids virus, we promise to
guarantee, by developing the proper conditions, that they enjoy
all rights.''

it also calls for an analysis of the illness's impact, to be
carried out by a special u.n. special researcher and to be
completed within the next several months.

the world health organisations (who) estimates that at the
beginning of 1992 at least 12 million children and adults have
been reported to be affected by the virus.  it also predicts that
by the year 2000 the number of people testing hiv positive will
easily exceed 35 million and some 12 million will go on to develop
aids.

according to this data, 90 percent of the cases will appear in
countries in the southern hemisphere.

who has identified sub-sahara africa as a critical area where
there are currently six million adults who are infected and who
says that one-third of pregnant women have been exposed to hiv.

in asia, where more than half the world's population is
concentrated, health experts believe there will be an accelerated
increase in cases, to surpass africa this decade in the number of
persons infected with hiv and aids.

in latin america, the current count is estimated at 1.5 million
reported cases,  which could increase considerably for lack of
resources necessary to launch an effective prevention programme.
(more/ips)

human rights: conference (2)

the human rights activists at the san jose conference says if
safeguards are not taken, poverty in developing countries will
increase and thousands of children and old people will be left
unprotected.

for example, in sub-saharan africa alone, some 15 million children
will be orphaned by the year 2000 as a result of aids- related
deaths and the same thing will happen during the first decade of
the 21st century.

ngo's promoting aids prevention in latin america have proposed
that the continent's governments seek more economic support from
the international community and the world health organisation.

in addition, the ngos have proposed that governments set up state
commissions to study the situation of hiv-affected persons and
introduce legislation that would to avoid the marginalisation or
discrimination against those with hiv/aids in employment and
education.

ngo's are also asking for a re-examination of at what they call
the ''neo-liberal economic model'', to deal with growing
prostitution and lack of health care -- all of which adversely
affect the region's children.

this aspect has not been touched on in any of the reports done by
the committee for children's rights, save one presented by vitit
muntarbhorn, from the u.n.'s battered children commission.

the situation is chaotic and especially painful for countries such
as thailand where the laws themselves permit discrimination
against child prostitutes.

''in these cases, they have no access to aids prevention centres
or programmes and if they are deported they have no special legal
protections,'' reads the report.  ends/tr (story received
incomplete) p039