CSOs trash draft declaration on ending Aids

Civil society organisations (CSOs) that represent the marginalised and stigmatised across the globe have rejected a United Nations (UN) draft on a political declaration dubbed ‘On-the Fast- Track to End the Aids epidemic’.

The CSOs are alarmed by what they say are the declarations’ major unacceptable deficiencies as it has excluded key populations such as homosexuals, drug users, migrants, transgender people and prisoners.

As a way of expressing their dissatisfaction with the draft, the CSOs held some demonstrations outside the UN offices in New York.

According to Gift Trapence, Executive Director of Centre for the Development of People (Cedep), a local organisation that defends rights of such people, the draft is incomplete.

“There will be no ending Aids by 2030 without a concerted effort to address the needs and Human rights of those groups that are currently marginalised and stigmatised. CSOs view the draft’s present weaknesses as tantamount to a death warrant for key populations and are calling on states to strengthen the declaration,” said Trapence.

The CSOs have proposed for several factors that need to be included to ensure that the declaration is effective and accessible.

One of the features that the CSOs want to be considered is the deletion of language that stigmatises key populations and the strengthening of language on the populations.

They also demand for retention of language on human rights, gender equality and empowerment of women and girls, and paragraph 43 on harm reduction.

The CSOs further want the declaration to strengthen language on comprehensive sexuality education and sexual rights and on funding for civil societies.

World leaders, government representatives and other stakeholders including the CSOs are meeting in New York, United States, to map the way forward on ending Aids as a public health threat by 2030

This is part of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which most governments have globally adopted to follow in order to achieve shared development in the ‘global village’.