Friday 11^th August, 2006

THIRTY COMMUNITY WORKERS TO LEARN ABOUT HIV/AIDS & LAW

THIRTY community workers and trained community paralegals will come together next week to learn about HIV/AIDS, Human Rights & the Law.  The Fiji Women's Rights Movement (FWRM) and the Pacific Regional Rights Resource Team (RRRT) will conduct the intensive training from the 14^th to 18^th August at the Pacific Theological College.  The training will focus on HIV/AIDS from a human rights perspective, and will analyse how this is placed in terms of Fiji s laws.

Some of the issues covered will include the discrimination faced by people living with HIV/AIDS in the workplace and the problem of the lack of confidentiality when accessing health services.  The lack of confidentiality further marginalises, stigmatises and isolates this vulnerable group.

HIV/AIDS is a global pandemic that is also affecting the Pacific and Fiji. With over 200 reported cases of HIV/AIDS in the country, our communities need to develop a greater understanding of HIV and the challenges faced by people living with HIV/AIDS, said FWRM Executive Director Virisila Buadromo.

Participants at the training come from religious organisations, government agencies, the health sector and community-based organisations.  These community workers and paralegals previously attended the FWRM/RRRT Family Law Act training in May this year.  This HIV/AIDS workshop is a follow-on training, which aims to further strengthen the community outreach work.

The groundwork for this outreach began in 2000, when 23 Community Paralegals (CPs) received human rights training by FWRM and RRRT. The CPs have been stationed in their respective communities, providing support to marginalized groups, and have also helped voice their community concerns through the CP network.

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