BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – TODAY (Jan. 22) marks the conclusion of the Ministry of Education’s HIV/AIDS Development and Strategic Planning Workshop at the Curriculum Development Unit in McKnight.
The initiative, which is aimed at formulating comprehensive policies and plans to deal with cases of HIV/AIDS in the education sector, has seen the attendance of 48 representatives from the Education Ministry; Ministry of Health, Youth, Gender Affairs, Sports and Labour; Social security; and non-governmental organisations.
Activities undertaken throughout the four-day workshop include the development of a goal and guiding principles for the HIV/AIDS Policy, discussion of the scope and application of the proposed policy, and the drafting of the outlines of the policy for St. Kitts under prevention, care and support, workplace issues, and managing response.
Facilitator Ruby Thomas revealed that the input gathered by participants would be collated into a document that would be presented to Parliament within several months and, once passed, it would serve as the definitive document for addressing cases of HIV/AIDS in the education sector.
“It is our hope that once this plan becomes legally binding, it will cut down on the discrimination and stigmatisation that persons are subjected to. When people are aware that there is legal culpability for discriminatory acts against persons with HIV/AIDS, then I am sure there will be some reduction in the incidences.
“Additionally, once stigmatised persons know that there is some legal recourse available to them, we hope they will feel confident and at ease in pursuing these matters,” Thomas said.
The workshop will end this afternoon at 3 p.m. with a brief closing ceremony.
