Blog Action Day is an annual
day of action for bloggers around the world to post stories about an important
social or environmental issue. This year the topic is human rights; an issue
that is inextricably linked to HIV.
AFAO decided to
participate in Blog Action Day for the first time by interviewing James Ward, an
Indigenous health researcher with more than 15 years’ experience in sexual
health and HIV. He is a descendent of the Pitjantjatjara and Nurrunga clans of
central and South Australia.
The Office of theUnited Nations High Commissioner for human rights states that:
"Human rights are inextricably linked with the
spread and impact of HIV/AIDS on individuals and communities around the world.
A lack of respect for human rights fuels the spread and exacerbates the impact
of the disease, while at the same time HIV/AIDS undermines progress in the
realisation of human rights."
How would you say
that this connection plays out for Indigenous people generally, and Aboriginal
and Torres Strait Islander people in particular?
It’s an important point linking human rights to HIV vulnerability
and it’s often off the agenda.
Many Indigenous people struggle with basic human rights,
including the lack of recognition in their own countries. Others have problems
with recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights – basic human rights, including
the right to be taught traditional language and practice customs and culture.
