Gross human rights violations by Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) in its HIV prevention programs

Press release

Date:28/11/2011

Dear media friends,

We the members of Karnataka HIV Sonkhitara Sanghatane would like to bring it to your notice about the gross human rights violations by Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) in its HIV prevention programs among sex workers and sexual minorities in Karnataka. Since February 2004 KHPT is implanting the HIV prevention program through its partner NGOs with financial support from Bill Melinda Gates Foundation in 16 districts of Karnataka. In this programme these ogranisation are violating the Human Rights of Sexual minorities and Sex workers.

This programmes were started in since 2004 in Karnataka and were providing information on safe sex, condom distributions, STI treatment and information on HIV. But from recent 2 years there were instances of forcing the community and programme staffs members to undergo forced HIV testing in Bangalore. We can remember Suraksha incident as a example. There were questions of KHPT involvement in these incidents.

Last 2 days back Karnataka HIV sonkithara SAnghatane got clear evidence on this issue. Suraksha funded by KHPT providing information of community members names their ID numbers, age, gender and information on when they were tested for HIV and the HIV status information on am stipulated format of KHPT “ Traking Calander Sankalp/Corridors” without the knowledge of the community members. The original copy of this information has been documented in the respective Suraksha offices at the taluks of project areas. These information has been collected with the pressure of KHPT. The information what we are giving you is like a tip of the ice berg. There is a immediate requirement of an enquiry to know which other districts these information is getting collected and need to stop this immediately. Due to these practices of KHPT confidentiality has broken and stigma and discrimination has increased. This has resulted in many community members has migrated and many have underground and has lost contact with the program. These practices of KHPT are also a factor for the increase of HIV in the state. Hence we demand KHPT and its partner NGOs to destroy these personally and confidential information publically.

Our demand:

1.    KHPT and Suraksha should immediately destroy these personally and confidential information publically

2.    Immediate action should be initiated against KHPT and Suraksha for the gross human rights violations

3.    Immediate actions should be initiated against ICTC counsellors for leaking the information

4.    Initiate an immediately enquiry against KHPT and its partner NGOs to stop these human rights violence and action should be initiated against the guilt organisations. 

 

In solidarity

Parveen Ahamad

PLHIV Activist

Karnataka HIV Sonkithara Sanghatane

For more information: 99807 17496 (Parveen)