The Parliament of Djibouti has adopted a new plan to Fast-Track the end of the AIDS epidemic and increase protection for people living with HIV and key populations.
The new strategy was formulated during a workshop attended by deputies as part of Djibouti’s national week of action against HIV. Opened by the Minister of Health and the Speaker of the National Assembly, the event brought parliamentarians together with people living with HIV and representatives of civil society organizations, the national AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria council and the United Nations. The workshop was an opportunity for parliamentarians to hear directly from people living with HIV about the social and legal challenges they face, including stigma and discrimination.
The participants welcomed recent progress in the response to HIV in Djibouti, especially the decrease in HIV prevalence from 3% in 2000 to 1.6% at the end of 2014 and legislation introduced to strengthen the protection of people living with HIV and other vulnerable groups. The workshop also reviewed critical challenges to the HIV response, including the limited uptake of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV and pervasive stigma, discrimination and other human rights violations towards people living with HIV and key populations.
In drawing up the new plan, parliamentarians said better coordination across government was required to implement the non-discrimination provisions of existing legislation. They also called for a public meeting at parliament with the National Network of People Living with HIV to raise awareness about stigma and discrimination.
“This workshop has been a unique opportunity for us to bring the realities of our lives and challenges to the representatives of the people of Djibouti. Now we want them to take action to help us fight stigma and discrimination and to ensure access to services to improve the well-being of all people living with HIV.”
Isnino Farah, President of the National Network of People Living with HIV
“As Members of Parliament, our role is to engage people living with HIV, health-care workers and other stakeholders to support the response to HIV and contribute to the end of HIV-related stigma and discrimination.”
Mohamed Ali, Speaker of the National Assembly of Djibouti
“Parliamentarians can provide an important boost to efforts to Fast-Track the HIV response. UNAIDS will continue working with them to translate their commitment into concrete actions to accelerate a rights-based and people-centred response to HIV.”
Dado Sy-Kagnassy, UNAIDS Country Director
