News
Shane Superville
As TT prepares to join the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day on Monday, the Minister of Social Development and Family Services, Donna Cox, is encouraging the public to know their status and get tested for HIV and AIDS, while women and girls were seen to be so vulnerable to infection.
Cox explained the disparity in numbers between HIV infection in men and women through cultural and economic gaps, while speaking during the launch of a brochure on how to reveal their HIV status, at the HIV / AIDS Coordination Unit, Building Financial CL, Port of Spain.
“Research has shown that women make up more than half the number of people living with HIV worldwide.
“Young women between the ages of ten and 24 are twice as likely to contract HIV than their male counterparts.
“HIV disproportionately affects adolescent women and girls because of the vulnerabilities created by unequal cultural, social and economic conditions.”
She also noted that the introduction of the brochure coincided with the recent Zero Discrimination Day, which was celebrated on March 1 with the theme – zero discrimination against women and girls.
Technical director Michael Reid said the ministry is committed to raising awareness and promoting treatment for people of all backgrounds infected with the disease.
He said that the prevalence of infections among women and girls was something that attracted the concern of international organizations.
“Although the global response to HIV has undergone a significant transformation since the first case, many women and adolescent girls remain vulnerable due to their unequal social status.
“In fact, the UN has expressed special concern about the vulnerability of women to infections by partners who do not know their status or refuse to reveal it.”
Reid said the ministry’s approach to dealing with the disease was guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals for 2030 and would be partnering with all stakeholders to achieve those goals.
Cox said that despite the progress made over the years in including HIV-positive people in society, disclosing their status remains a challenge as the government seeks to empower those living with the disease.
She said that while people living with the disease were more apprehensive of being victims or discriminated against, it was the first step in receiving the legal protection and psychosocial support available under the ministry.
“Disclosure, whether authorized or not, is usually rooted in the fear of being vulnerable to stigma and discrimination, often resulting in low adherence to medication and psychosocial problems, such as isolation, anxiety and depression.
“The issue of disclosure remains paramount for the HIV landscape. Among the benefits derived from the dissemination of HIV are improved adherence to medication and greater access to care and support.
“Disclosure allows HIV-positive people to have their status, providing legal protection against discrimination, while facilitating empowerment and creating opportunities to address psychosocial issues.”
Cox said the brochure included information and advice on how people should make their situation known to those around them.