HIV AND HUMAN RIGHTS-I.

(From The Statesman (India))

By FAIZAN MUSTAFA The tragic stoning to death of a woman suspected of being HIV positive in Kuppam village in Andhra Pradesh on 5 July is not an isolated case. It is rightly said that AIDS is probably the first global epidemic in the modern era of human rights. It is also for the first time that there is an emphasis not only on public health policies but also on human rights. Pressures This relationship between prevention of AIDS and human rights may be examined in two ways. First, there are pressures and issues related to human rights norms that are created by the choice or manner of implementation of public health policies. Secondly, it has now become clear that social discrimination in all its manifestations does create an increased vulnerability to HIV infection. Thus the efforts to protect human rights are extremely important. Protection against epidemics is one of the main tasks. In addition, …