It is my pleasure to bring you greetings on behalf of the CARICOM Secretariat and in particular the Secretary-General and indeed the entire CARICOM Family. This workshop is a very important one as it deals with one of the priority areas: law ethics and human rights identified in the Caribbean Regional Strategic Framework of the Pan Caribbean Partnership against HIV/AIDS. Law, ethics and human rights are identified also as one of three elements in the PANCAP proposal to the Global Fund along with care and treatment and prevention.
This workshop, therefore, is expected to assist the Pan Caribbean Partnership to clarify the underlying factors that help to regulate our approaches to HIV/AIDS, the protection of the rights of PLWA, their families and communities and the reduction of prejudice and discrimination.
It also is about promoting and establishing norms by which to identify not only rights but also obligations on the part of citizens to take responsibility for the consequences of their behaviour. This is a matter that calls for the collaboration of all: the family, schools, the Churches, Community, the governments, the Private Sector, the NGO community and most important the National HIV/AIDS programmes.
This meeting takes on the eve of the third annual general meeting of the Pan Caribbean Partnership. It takes place at a time when this Partnership – PANCAP—as it is called — is becoming more conscious of the fact that action has to be taken now to reduce the overall prevalence rate of HIV/AIDS, which places the Caribbean second only to Sub-Sarah Africa. It is taking place at a time when there is a greater awareness that as a Pan Caribbean network in the fight against HIV/AIDS we need to advocate for behavioral change and to collaborate among partners including the donor community in mobilizing and effectively utilizing resources
In the UNAIDS 2002 Report, it correctly states that in the world of AIDS, human rights protection can become a matter of life and death. Conversely safeguarding those rights can enable people to avoid infection or, if already infected, to cope more successfully with the effects of HIV/AIDS
Denial of basic human rights limits people’s options to defend their autonomy, develop viable livelihoods and protect themselves, leaving them both vulnerable to HIV infection and the impact of the epidemic on their lives and the lives of others.
For us in PANCAP forging links between human rights and law and ethics and ensuring that policies are prescribed and implemented are important aspects of the PANCAP Regional Strategic Plan. Indeed principles of non-discrimination, equality and participation of PLWA in the social and economic activities of their communities, countries and the Region as a whole are central to the PANCAP strategy. They also are evident in existing human rights instruments. These include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Covenant on Economic, Social and Political Rights and those on the elimination of discrimination against women and Children.
PLWA, like others citizens, are entitled to other key human rights. They are entitled to the attainment of high standards of physical and mental health, the right to information and education, the right to privacy and to a jobs, and to benefit from the scientific advances and benefits such as access to affordable Anti retroviral drugs.
In other words, unequal access to life saving HIV/AIDS care and treatment is a violation of human rights. Moreover the persistence of widespread stigma and discrimination only helps to increase people’s vulnerability by isolating PLWA and depriving them of care and support, thereby worsening the impact of infection. What is required are the resources to make such access possible.
It is quite clear from the analysis theWHO Commission on Macroeconomics and Health that if we are to truly accelerate our efforts in the fight against HIV/AIDS our donor partners must continue to play an even more critical role in the interest of humanity
This workshop is a very important step in the process of helping PANCAP to identify a strategic approach that may be applied across the region; a process that would sooner rather than latter assist the Region to plan and implement policies that eliminate inequity, improve the well being of PLWA and at the same time save many productive lives.
On behalf of the CARICOM Secretariat and the Caribbean Community that has the responsibility for coordinating PANCAP I wish to thank all our donors that contribute to PANCAP and particularly to CIDA for their sponsorship of this Workshop.
