WWHL has launched a campaign on HIV/AIDS  

With the prevalence rate of 0.1 percent, Pakistan faces a concentrated epidemic among some key populations, and the country is at high risk for HIV/AIDS. Several social and economical conditions condusive to the spread of HIV exist in Pakistan including poverty, low-level of education, unemployment, non-martial sex, homo-sexuality, blood transfusion, drug addiction and rampant use of therapeutic injections which lead to increased exposure to the disease. Worldwide, an estimated 36.1 million people (47 percent of whom are female ) were living with HIV/AIDS as of December 2000, according to the Joint United Nations programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS). Through 2000, cumulative HIV/AIDS- associated deaths worldwide numbered approximately 21.8 million: 17.5 million adults and 4.3 Million children younger than 15 years. Globally, approximately 5.3 million new HIV infections and 3.0 million HIV/AIDS –related deaths occurred in the year 2000 alone.

Spreading so fast HIV/AIDS must take the place as major health issue in Pakistan but many of the cases go unreported or even undiagnosed because of high cost of screening test, social taboos and fear of discrimination, once confirmed. Althoug men and women are being equally hampered by this fatal disease but women are suffering a lot more than men.

It is the responsibility of state that it must address all heath issues with great concern, especially the fast spreading concentrated epidemic of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan. On the contrary the state is consciously denying the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan and the only reason they present is; Pakistan being an Islamic country cannot be hit harder by HIV. The number of HIV positives in the country is increasing day by day but according to the statistics given by the government, very few HIV positives are existing in Pakistan. The biggest disadvantage of state’s denial is; the HIV positives are not being given the required health facilities. It is not possible for poor to get treatment because of the high cost of screening test and medications. The international organizations working for HIV/AIDS are not focusing Pakistan with great concern only because of state’s denial about the increasing existence of HIV/AIDS in Pakistan.

Considering the situation in the country Women Workers Help Line (WWHL) has launched a campaign on HIV/AIDS awareness rising as STAR project, with major focus on women. Women are most unprevilged part of the society and due to the partriarchal system existing in Pakistan women do not even get the basic health facilities. Due to the high unawareness among the society, HIV/AIDS is considered as a big stigma, especially among women, therefore, the biggest challenge while working in communities is to educate people to take HIV/AIDS as a disease not as a stigma or social taboo. There are many innocent partners who become HIV positives because their partner become carrier of HIV due to any above mentioned sources. People are not aware with the ways of safe –sex so ultimately their partners also become carriers. It is really difficult to make community sensitize on the issue; due to the stigma associated with it community people especially women are not even ready to discuss the issue.

The STAR project extends its purpose to create understanding in community on gender equality, women personal health issues, safe sex, HIV/AIDS and enable them to create such environments where stigma and discrimination of HIV positive people remain no more a submissive solution. The campaign focuses to enable community women of all ages to explore their social, sexual and psychological needs, to change their behaviours individually and together.

Positive people remain no more a submissive solution. The campaign focuses to enable community women of all ages to explore their social, sexual and psychological needs and to change their behaviours individually or together.

The whole campaign is based on rights based approach, considering it a health issue same like other challenges in life. Team of six STAR circles are designed, three for married groups and three for unmarried groups, who will work in community by arranging meetings. Stepping stones training package methodology is adopted in this project for HIV communication, and relationship skills.

On the other hand, WWHL would launch an extensive advocacy and lobby campaign to highlight the issue and to get concerned departments responsible to take this issue on priority as the right to health of all citizens of the country