National Women Forum of INP+ to be launched to protect AIDS patien

New Delhi, July 14 (UNI) A network of HIV infected women is being launched to help address the needs of women and children living with AIDS and strengthen the response to their demands.

The Indian Network for People living with HIV/AIDS (INP+), a national level organization representing PLHA, is launching 'National Women Forum' of INP+ on July 16 in the backdrop of increasing membership of women living with HIV/AIDS in INP+.

Women and Child Development Minister Renuka Chowdhury and National AIDS Control Organisation Director General Sujatha Rao would address the launch function to encourage the organisation in its endeavour to protect human rights and interests of women suffering from HIV/AIDS.

With a membership of above 85,000 across the country, which includes 50 percent women, INP+ is currently working with 22 state and 166 district level PLHA networks in the country.

Stigmatizing and discriminatory attitudes toward HIV-positive women and men lie at the root of many human rights concerns and violations experienced by women and children. This results in poor quality of care and support for people living with HIV.

Women find themselves socially excluded, denied opportunities and this in turn contributes to differential access, participation and treatment for men and women.

Women have been experiencing stigma and discrimination by health care providers at workplace and in all other institutional care centres and services which has resulted in disparaging treatment, lack of privacy, breach of confidentiality and differential access to services and treatment. These factors have resulted in the formation of NWF of INP+.

UNI