UNICEF promises support for Guyana toward AIDS-free generation

Noting that stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV has decreased in Guyana,UNICEF’s Resident Representative to Guyana and Suriname, Marianne Flach assures that her organisation will continuously support the Government and People of Guyana in their efforts to combat the virus that has threatened and taken the lives of millions globally.
“Love, respect and dignity are essential to achieving an AIDS-free generation, unfortunately for many people living with HIV, stigma and discrimination persist despite global efforts to reduce the burden for those affected by this disease. In many instances, children are usually the ones who are disproportionately affected.”
Addressing a gathering of thirty Civil Society Organisations at a Children’s Rights Workshop hosted by SASOD in collaboration with the USAID’s Advancing Partners and Communities (APC) Project at the APC’s Georgetown office on Friday last, Flach focused her speech on the vulnerability of women and children.
Sensitive, child-friendly services she said are needed to protect treat and respond to children affected by HIV, which she opined is absolutely critical.
Twenty-five children globally still acquire HIV every hour despite the majority of pregnant women in low and middle income countries living with the virus are receiving treatment to remain healthy, and to avoid transmitting HIV to their babies.
This prevents 1.3 million new infections among children since the millennium year.
UNICEF, she said is actively supporting the Ministry of Public Health to reduce and prevent mother-to-child transmission. Current and future projects she revealed are the integration of HIV education and care into maternal, newborn, child and adolescent health services; support of male partner involvement, and case-tracking management systems, and ensuring that all babies, children, and their mothers are able to access healthcare and information, particularly life-saving HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
Guyana is in the validation process towards eliminating mother-to-child transmission of the HIV.Flach also noted that the Caribbean region may be the first region to eliminate this form of transmission, and this is a promising development as well as exciting achievement to look forward to.
She expressed the view that children who have been made vulnerable by HIV can live difficult lives especially when they encounter various forms of violence and discrimination; these ills can prevent them from going to school, being social, and from generally enjoying their human rights. “Systems must be established and strengthened to protect and promote their [children’s] rights, and to ensure that they can grow up healthy and lead productive lives.”
The Representative posited that comprehensive health and family life education, youth-friendly services and general social support can greatly reduce the spread of HIV. Recent research conducted on HIV among Young Key Affected Populations in Guyana revealed, according to her, that children and young people are requesting more information on sexuality and because of this, UNICEF is pushing for comprehensive sexuality education in schools.
Flach noted with concern that the age of consent in Guyana is set at sixteen years, which requires the authorisation of parents of sexually active adolescents, to have an HIV test which is a prohibitive factor for them accessing healthcare services; despite this, many structured programmes for adolescents have been established with UNICEF’s support to offer education and services across the country.
“We must not forget the link between sexual violence and HIV, given the almost daily reports of violence perpetrated against women and children. Ending violence will have an impact on preventing sexually transmitted infections and curbing the spread of HIV, especially if the perpetrator is HIV positive” Flach said.
Meanwhile Chief-of-Party of the APC Project, Folami Harris, in her opening remarks said that “we have an obligation, a moral sense to protect and respect the rights of our children, but there are not a lot of caregivers and programmes in Guyana to assist vulnerable children in communities.”
“How we respond to children is very important, but unfortunately we do not have enough people dealing with children specifically,” she related to the gathering of nurses, social workers, caregivers, counselors and peer educators in attendance.
“We as caregivers don’t always do it, teachers don’t always to the extent it needs to be done, and this needs to change. We are in a very unique position. Very few of us have the capacity to offer formal dispute resolution and support.
“We need to have the courage to do something, we know we should act but we don’t know how to act when we look at child abuse in its various forms – neglect, physical, emotional… no matter how we look at the statistics the figures are always bigger.”
Harris posited that children’s rights, as a branch of human rights, need to be championed.
“When we protect our children we protect ourselves…we protect future generations to come and we protect humanity.” She continued to say that children should be respected, their voices and opinions – not shoved aside or looked at as lesser versions of man, she called for after school programmes and counseling support, stating that children need to be listened to and guided and most of all protected from harm.
“Today we will learn about children’s rights, we will value them and respect what children are entitled to as human beings so that we can render that support without conflict or malice,” she concluded.
The day’s proceedings had Programme Officer of Help and Shelter, Danuta Radzik, presenting on the United Nations’ Convention on the Rights of the Child; Trustee on the Board of Directors for the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA), Attorney-At-Law Dela Britton on the Legal Framework in Guyana on Children’s issues; Director of the Childcare and Protection Agency, Ann Greene on State Services available for Children in Guyana; and Other Services and Support Offered to Children was presented by Kean Chase, Project Officer of ChildLink.
Minister within the Ministry of Education with the Responsibility of Youth Affairs, Nicolette Henry sent her regards, noting that the work of the SASOD must be commended, and the workshop held is testimony of the organisation’s commitment to addressing the rights of all Guyanese. She expressed her Ministry’s solidarity with the organisation, noting that the Government of Guyana looks forward to continuous engagements in the future, and that the initiative of the workshop will blossom into sustainable activities.(Kaieteur News)