By; PATRICK TITUS, Uyo
The Association of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (ASWHAN), Akwa Ibom State Chapter, has called for adequate inclusion of women in developmental programmes that will aid the realisation of their full potentials.
ASWHAN made the advocacy at a press conference recently held at the Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA) in Uyo.
Reflecting on this year’s theme of the International Women’s Day, “Invest in Women, Accelerate progress”, the Association noted the theme as a call to inspire inclusion so as to forge a better society.
Speaking through the State Coordinator of ASWHAN, Mrs. Rachel Ignatius, stressed the need for measures to be put in place for productive grassroot sensitization and functional awareness creation.
“The International Women’s Day 2024 global campaign theme; Invest in Women: Accelerate progress is a call to Action for investment in women and girls living with HIV in all diversities to enjoy their rights as live a decent livelihood.
“The theme resonates with the need to empower women with life building skills to reduce their vulnerability and encourage National and International partners to demonstrate their commitment in providing platforms for women to have access to economic resources.” Mrs. Ignatius said.
She also highlighted that inclusion will be inspired when ASWHAN is included in Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMTCT) interventions amidst other programmes to positively shape the narratives of those living with the virus.
“Federal and State Ministries of Health should engage ASWHAN in PMTCT program implementation and service delivery thereby positioning ASWHAN as the lead CSO for PMTCT in Nigeria to end Mother to child transmission of HIV. No child henceforth should be born with HIV.
“The burden lies with us. We urge all partners to recognize our role in this fight. We ask GLOBAL FUND, the PMTCT Implementing partners to include ASWHAN in the GC7 PMTCT Implementation,” the ASWHAN coordinator added.
She also called on the Akwa Ibom State Government to consider the HIV Anti-stigma and discrimination bill which had not been assented to in the last administration, pointing out that having the law in place would protect the rights of women with HIV as well as those who are not infected with the virus.
Speaking also at the event, the Program Manager of Akwa Ibom State Agency for the Control of AIDS (AKSACA) Dr Enobong Akpan noted poverty as one of the keys factors affecting the well being of those living with HIV and AIDS in the state.
He called for private and public collaboration to advance the empowerment of women that are infected with the virus with soft loans for business, skills acquisition, saying that it will go a long way in increasing their economic level an ending poverty.
Dr Enobong also mentioned Gender Responsive financing. According to him, funding for women is crucial to end violence against them.
“We join ASWHAN in advocating for funding fo women to end violence against women. We call on various stakeholders to implement what we call Gender Responsive Financing. There is a Global Annual deficit in budget for women especially in the area of violence against women” he stated.
Other organisations such as AKSACA, Ministry of Women Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Map-IT, UNAIDS, UNWomen, Heartland Alliance, among others, spoke on their commitments towards supporting and protecting the rights of women living with HIV in the state .
The Joint United Nations Programmes on HIV/AIDS – UNAIDS, Dr IDAYAT Idayat Uthman said, “We will continue to support the state in ensuring that the Anti stigma law is enacted. We will not stop. We started the fight and we will see it through”.
Dr. Uthman said that UNAIDS has always been at the fore front of supporting women’s rights, especially persons living with HIV.
