In Pakistan the number of HIV positive cases is increasing day-by-day and this highly sensitive issue must be highlighted by the government to create awareness among the common people. Tasneem Ahmar, said this while addressing the concluding session of the two-day national conference on 'Mobilising the Media on HIV and Aids'.
She said that the cases of Aids and HIV in Pakistan are getting increased as it is estimated that almost 70,000 to 80,000 persons in the country have got infected. "Although the rate of 0.1% of the adult population in Pakistan is relatively low, yet the threat is significant because of the prevalence of the risk factors", she said.
Tasneem told the participants that Pakistani women are at a greater risk of infection especially in certain vulnerable groups such as commercial sex workers, spouses of returning migrant workers, intravenous drug users.
"Violence against women shall be understood to encompass physical, sexual and psychological violence occurring in the family including battering, sexual abuse of female children in the household, dowry-related violence, marital rape, female genital mutilation and other traditional practices are harmful to women, non-spousal violence and violence related to exploitation". She complained that HIV or Aids is a highly sensitive issue and must be discussed on official level like Parliament.
HIV epidemic is increasing on the global level as according to the latest research, the number of people living with HIV is recorded 39.5 million including 17.7 million women and 2.3 million children. The total number of people affected by Aids is 4.3 million while the total number of people who got dead because of Aids is recorded 2.9 million.
Tasneem emphasised that awareness campaigns about Aids on national level should be started in order to make the common man aware of Aids. "Media can perform an exclusive role by bringing the people under the umbrella of knowledge about Aids. Active and substantive involvement of the media and communication practitioners is critical, if knowledge and awareness about the gender dimensions of the epidemic are to increase".
She explained that the media must promote the argument that empowering women does not imply that men are disempowered in any manner. Social and legal empowerment of women can only lead to empowering households, communities and in turn entire societies.