AIDS Alliance looks at reproductive health rights

In 2001, the government of Belize signed onto a United Nations General Assembly Declaration of Commitment on HIV/AIDS. But in 2007, the Alliance Against AIDS wanted to find out what has been accomplished in the six years since the signing, specifically with regard to the sexual and reproductive health rights of young women and girls. In partnership with the Brazilian NGO, GESTO, AAA commissioned a study and today those findings were presented to its partner agencies in Belize. According to Alessandra Nelo, Coordinator of GESTO, the issues of HIV and reproductive rights are inextricably linked … and a good way to tackle them both is with stronger legislation.

Alessandra Nelo, Coordinator, GESTO Brazil
“If we don’t guarantee the sexual and reproductive health of women and girls, it would be very hard to track AIDS and to avoid new infections and to support better, people who are living with HIV/AIDS.”

Rodel Beltran Perrera, Executive Director, AAA
“We do have policies, there is gender policies, there is sexual and reproductive health policies, we need to take it another step, we need to see that there is legal framework in protecting the rights of young women and girls in are of sexual and reproductive … so that is a big concern. We want to work along with our agencies, along with our partner agencies, take this on, in advocating that the rights of young women and girls are protected and their sexual and reproductive health is in law, that it is made into law that we can protect the rights of our young women and girls.”

Kendra Griffith
“What type of legislation are we talking about?”

Rodel Beltran Perrera
“For example that it is, that no young girl can be turned away from accessing services, no young girl or woman can be ill treated at the front levels of seeking, accessing sexual and reproductive health rights services, the issue of condom distribution, the issue of contraception distribution.”

Alessandra Nelo
“In Brazil for instance, we have very good laws in terms of sexual and reproductive health, but those laws is not translated into reality, into services. We are doing this project in sixteen countries worldwide. In many countries you have laws that are not translated into reality. In other countries you need laws also to guarantee the rights of women and girls.”

The consultancy was carried out by Tasha Young.