Positive Living Association,6 July 2011 in Ankara, with the participation of public institutions and foundations organized a meeting for “the HIV / AIDS Law Draft for Turkey” at Odak Group Workshop.The Association ,7 July 2011, explained their demands from the new Parliament at the press conference.
Preventing spread of HIV in Turkey and making available rights of people living with HIV were discussed within the project “Awareness and Advocacy for the Rights of People Living with HIV ” in Ankara.
The Parliament legislative with representatives of the Legislative Association and the Positive Living Association discussed the form and content of the preliminary draft law prepared. The opinions and feedbacks received will be evaluated again with the associations after receiving the final version will be presented to Parliament.
HIV / AIDS-related public authority of the legal entity which will be the law as well as HIV / AIDS, also suggests the various definitions and regulations.
High attendance
45 representatives 26 institutions and organizations and the opposition parties' MPs ,The AK Party deputy Gumushane , Dr. Kemallettin Aydin, Mugla Deputy of CHP, Professor. Dr. Dr. Nurettin Demir and CHP Kocaeli deputy.,Mehmet Koray Aktaş Hilal Kaplan representative attended the meeting. the Prime Ministry, Ministries, Parliament committees, trade associations, universities, non-governmental organizations, experts, lawyers and individuals living with HIV were also involved.
Between these institutions and organizations;
Prime Minister's institutions (the Council of Ethics, the Human Rights Presidency, Prime Ministry, Social Services and Child Protection Agency), Ministry of Health (Basic Health Services General Directorate, General Directorate of Pharmaceuticals and Pharmacy, Public Relations Unit), Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the Ministry of Justice (Criminal and General Directorate of Prisons), the Ministry of Education (Department of Health, Education and Discipline Board), Ministry of Labour and Social Security, the AK Party Central Decision Board, Department of Forensic Medicine, Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Hacettepe University, Ankara University, Human Rights Center, Turkish Pharmacists' Association, Ankara Chamber of Physicians, Amnesty International, Association of Legislation, the Human Rights Association, the Family Planning Association of Turkey, the Turkish Red Crescent Society, the Human Resource Development Foundation.
We need a Global and National Emergency Action Plan
The meeting was moderated by Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine Prof.Dr. Şevki Sözen.Positive Life Association, Communications Officer, Cigdem Simsek made a presentation on terminologies, stereotypes and discrimination, dimension of HIV and AIDS medical. She said:
"Today, HIV is a chronic health condition, it is a very serious issue for people of all ages and all parts. Needed in a national and global emergency action plan context, we should accept HIV as a health problem and we should give priority based on the human rights.”
The United Nations and the Council of Europe human rights and HIV / AIDS project coordinator Murat Köylü gave information on the form and contents of the laws of 30 countries. He said “Human rights violations, poverty and weak democracies are the biggest obstacles to stop the spread of HIV/AIDS.”
We need a strategic and operational cooperation
The lack of strategic and operational cooperation between the public institutions and the civil society organizations on HIV/AIDS was discussed at the meeting. The function of National AIDS Commission and “ Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers (VCTC)” were the most exciting discussions between The Primary Health Care Directorate of the Ministry of Health and representatives of civil society organizations. At the meeting participators discussed that National AIDS Commision, which is founded at 1996 and has 36 members, didn't organized any meeting since 3 years and couldn't perform their function for this reason. it is noted that only 4 of the 11 VCTC 's which are established in 4 cities by a project of a Ministry in 2006 are still rendering services. During the meeting, everbody is in the same opinion about the importancy of making national AIDS commission in an operating condition and increasing the number of VCTC’s
Press conference held
Positive Life Association at Gordion Hotel on Thursday, July 7, 2011 in Ankara , said the demands about HIV/AIDS.
After the presentation of Positive Life Association, Communications Officer, Cigdem Simsek, the project coordinator Murat Köylü summarized their demands with these following requests:
- Respect for individual privacy,the certain protection of the personal datas
- Facilitate the import licence of HIV medicines
- Ensuring the right to privacy during the legal process and the stages of the court
- the prevention legally of discrimination and exclusion against the people living with HIV
- Restructuring, providing legal entity, budgeting the National AIDS Commission and strengthening Civil Society Organizations
- budgeting, planning HIV / AIDS programs in the country and ensuring the active participation of Civil Society Organizations.
- Giving Sexual Health Education to all parts of society, especially youth and women, Increasing public, cultural and legal supports for the promotion of using condom
- Citizen or not, free treatment, care and support for all people living with HIV,the development of the support politicals based on human rights for vulnerable / sensitive groups.
- correction of the HIV/AIDS representation on media based on the rights and freedoms.
- Increaseing equally the number of Voluntary Counseling and Testing Centers in the geographical regions.
For the album of the meeting;:
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.215707855131995.50701.100000783453529&l=ced2553f0a
For the speech of the Project Coordinator Murat Köylü:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTSekdrZBCU
Çiğdem Şimşek
Positive Living Association
Communication Officer
Tel : 0 212- 288 38 83
Fax : 0 212- 288 38 84
GSM : 0 541 247 48 02
www.facebook.com/pozitif.yasam.dernegi
“Awareness and Advocacy for the Rights of People Living with HIV Project”
With the financial support of the European Union and UNAIDS and the Legislative Association partnership, the aim of the project which is implemented: reducing discrimination, stigma and exclusion faced by people living with HIV, increasing the awareness of the civil society organizations, public agencies and members of parliament, developing social responsibility and creating a bill on HIV/AIDS.
About Positive Living Association:
Founded in 2005 by people living with HIV, their relatives, doctors and activists. The association, facilitates the communication between people living with HIV and their relatives, provides treatment physical, mental and social, gives support to protect the rights of them and works for the implementation of the rights guaranteed with the international agreements as well as works for awareness and protection of society .www.pozitifyasam.org
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