English - CEDAW Southeast Asia

CEDAW and the Law:
to 0.5 percent. Measures relating to HIV/AIDS specifically include: (a) periodically collecting
statistics and publishing data on women living with HIV/AIDS, including pregnant women; (b)
implementing effective measures to decrease the proportion of women living with HIV/AIDS;
(c) promoting Information and Education Communication (IEC) to increase awareness on
preventing and combating HIV/AIDS and STIs; (d) expanding education and counselling
services for groups of people living with HIV/AIDS to increase their responsibility in preventing
the spread of the disease; (e) organizing voluntary testing programmes in high risk areas; and
(f) incorporating counselling services into health, family planning, health care and protection
programmes for women and children.
Second, the National Strategy on Reproductive Health Care provides a more
comprehensive approach by addressing reproductive health. Its goal is “to achieve by the year
2010 a marked improvement in the reproductive health status and narrow the gap between
the regions and target groups by better meeting the changing reproductive health needs over
the life cycle, and to do so in ways that are sensitive to the diverse circumstances of local
communities, with particular attention to disadvantaged areas and target-groups.” The
strategy cites as an objective effective prevention to reduce incidences STIs including HIV.
Other objectives include to: (a) create a change in perception, as well as support and
commitment, to the attainment of the objectives and elements of reproductive health care
among people of all strata, first of all among senior officials at all levels; (b) ensure the rights
of women and couples to have children and select contraceptive methods of good quality; (c)
improve the reproductive health status, including sexual health, of adolescents through
education, counselling and provision of services suited to different age groups; (d) improve the
knowledge of men and women about sexual relations and sexuality to exercise fully their
rights and responsibilities towards fertility; and (e) promote safe and responsible sexual
relations on the basis of equality and mutual respect to improve reproductive health and the
quality of life.
Third, the CPGRS also looks into reproductive health and HIV/AIDS. It targets the slow
rate of HIV/AIDS transmission. Its indicator being the proportion of people aged 15-19 years
and children living with HIV/AIDS.
Fourth, the SEDP also puts up as one of its targets the prevention of HIV/AIDS and
seeks to reduce the infection rate by 50 percent by 2010.
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The political will of the State to prevent and combat HIV/AIDS is evident in the number
of legal documents, strategies and plans that address the matter. Evident as well is the multisectoral
approach that the State is taking in addressing the issue.
In relation to discrimination, non-stigmatization and non-discrimination of persons living
with HIV/AIDS are already prohibited by the Law on HIV/AIDS. 605 However, equal preventive,
care and treatment interventions must be provided regardless of gender, nationality, social,
economic and other status.
Also, protocols for handling of cases of HIV/AIDS must be clearly drafted to enable
appropriate guidelines for those who handle, or are confronted with, HIV/AIDS cases; for
605
Law on HIV/AIDS, Article 8(3)
Review of key legal documents and compliance with CEDAW