Topic: Rights of HIV-Positive Individuals
Country: Philippines
Delegate Name: Matthew Hartman
School: Northville High School
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Philippines position papers GLIMUN 2010 committees
HIV, and by extension AIDS is a global epidemic that can no longer sit idle by and expected to just disappear. It requires our immediate attention. In past years, people considered it to just pertain to homosexual relationships, but as recent studies show, it affects both heterosexual and homosexual humans.
In the Philippines, our problem is the same as most developing countries; we simply do not have the infrastructure, or the money to implement, to combat this disease. This is a major risk to our general population. When coupled with sub-Western standard of living in large areas and domestic disturbances, it creates the perfect, if you excuse the pun, breeding ground for a host of problems, one including HIV/AIDS.
In short, it’s a problem, and it’s growing.
But, according to the Philippines's Constitution, everyone has certain rights, but with the lack of infrastructure, allows discrimination against people with HIV-Positive individuals. Recently people have taken it upon themselves to remove these individuals from Society, which is in direct violation with the Constitution
Philippines law states that if someone known to have any Sexually Transmitted Infection or Disease must do all which prevents the spread of the infection. Those with incurable infections must become abstinent except with his/her spouse, who is assumed to have it as well. This law, while appropriate, is unenforceable and thus rendered useless. The reason this law is useless is expressed above, lack of infrastructure. This problem, rendered with domestic disturbances only exacerbates the problem.
Again in short, it’s a problem, and its growing, and we cannot do anything at the time to fix it by ourselves.
