‘A huge step towards removing stigma’

City-based activists who have been waiting for the Bill to take shape for many years now hailed the Union Cabinet’s approval to introduce amendments. 

Kousalya Periasamy, Founder, Positive Women Network, says that though a legal provision would have been more useful many years ago, it is still going to be an effective tool in facilitating social entitlements. She says, “The Bill has a provision for appointment of an ombudsman by State Governments to look into the complaints related to the violation of the Act and penal actions in case of non-compliance. This would come as a relief for many suffering discriminations in society only because they are HIV +ve.” 

She adds that there are a number of challenges like property disputes, custody issues etc concerning a child who is not HIV positive when the mother is HIV +ve. “These could be addressed by the various provisions of the Bill,” she points out. 

However, she also points out that there are a few aspects that are worrying. “The earlier draft had called for treatment being made compulsory, but there is ambiguity in this one and the stigma is restricted only to those with the disease. What about the vulnerable groups?” 

Dr Sunil Suhas Solomon, Chairman, YR Gaitonde Centre for AIDS Research and Education, Chennai, says that in India, much of the stigma is related to the fact that the first evidence of HIV infection in India was found among female sex workers. “Consequently, HIV has been associated as a disease that is related to people who are or who visit sex workers. Large scale media campaigns are needed to impact societal perspectives,” he says. 

However, AJ Hariharan of the Indian Community Welfare Organisation, says that now that political unwillingness has made way for meaningful action, what remains to be seen is the implementation. “The efforts of the Lawyer’s Collective in the direction of this bill started almost 12 years, but it is only now that is shaping up to be an effective one. But what will test its effectiveness would be the implementation,” he says.