World AIDS Orphans’ Day

[dropcap]E[/dropcap]very year, the 7th of May is dedicated to highlight the realities of children who have lost one or both parents to HIV & AIDS, and to focus on the hope that can exist for future generations who do not have to suffer the loss of a parent due to HIV & AIDS. The observance of World AIDS Orphans’ Day is an initiative of the Francios Xavier Bagnoud (FXB) International. FXB and its founder Countess Albina Du Boisrouvray launched the global movement in the year 2002 to bring to the notice, the plight of millions of helpless children world-wide who have lost one or both parents to HIV & AIDS, and to mobilize attention of both Governments and communities alike. Every May 7, FXB organizes a grassroots campaign to bring attention to the plight of children affected by HIV & AIDS and advocate on their behalf.In Nagaland, there are 725 children who are infected with HIV since 2007 (Source: SIMS report up-to March 2015) and over 100 children who are orphaned by AIDS (Source: NNP+). Over the past years, the Nagaland State AIDS Control Society (NSACS) has been observing this Special Day for AIDS Orphans in collaboration with NGOs working actively in the field of HIV & AIDS. The HIV & AIDS crisis has impacted households and communities – deepening poverty and exacerbating hardship. Majority of the children affected by HIV & AIDS, including orphans, continue to live with their extended families or in homes run by the NGOs. However, these families are increasingly overwhelmed by poverty and struggle to protect and raise the children under their care, and the homes are run by self-sustaining NGOs. In addition to the trauma of losing a parent, HIV & AIDS orphans living with extended families or in foster care are often subject to stigma and discrimination. Amidst various efforts to halt and reverse the HIV epidemic, concerted and specific interventions by concerned stakeholders are needed to create an enabling environment for children affected and infected with HIV & AIDS, especially the orphans. We need to ensure that available resources reach the families and communities that provide the front-line response, as they provide most of the care and support to orphaned and vulnerable children. Measures to support the basic rights of these children are required to give them better access to education, health care and nutrition, with special consideration for the physical, psychological and social needs of the child. Efforts should also be made to ensure livelihood skills & opportunities so that when these children grow up, they can become productive members of their community. Thus, there is need to put in place appropriate social protection frameworks for these vulnerable children to provide a ‘continuum of care’ by planning appropriate multi-sectoral and holistic interventions, through the combined efforts of families, communities, NGOs, FBOs, and the Government. We can positively fight HIV & AIDS if we initiate a long-term response supported by a strong political will. Effective responses must strengthen the capacity of families and communities to continue providing care, protect the children and to assist them in meeting their needs. Let us join hands together to better the lives of these most vulnerable children. - IEC Division, NSACS.