By Globe reporter
FOUNDATION for Democratic Process (FODEP) has observed that there has been a salient feature among Zambian politicians of using HIV/AIDS as a weapon in electoral politics to marginalise their opponents.
FODEP Information Officer McDonald Chipenzi said reluctance by many politicians to declare their HIV status or encourage others to do so was a great blow to the fight against the stigma and discrimination in the electoral process.
“To some extent, their fear is justified as there has been a salient feature among Zambian politicians of using HIV/AIDS as a weapon in electoral politics to marginalise their opponents,” Chipenzi said. “Candidates who are perceived to be sick are undermined and destroyed before the eyes of the electorate. Weight loss by aspiring candidates is closely associated with AIDS causing doubts on the health of some
candidates by their parties and electorate. Candidates who are perceived to be sick are undermined and destroyed before the eyes of the electorate.”
He said the low levels of people disclosing their HIV status in the country was a signal that stigma and discrimination were still problematic issues in the fight against the disease.
Chipenzi noted that many people especially politicians fear that disclosing one’s HIV status was equated with political suicide or becoming a political liability to the party or society.
“It is a bald-faced fact that the loss of skills and experienced
personnel and reduced productivity from HIV/AIDS undermines the effectiveness of democratic institutions. It is on this premise that the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) wishes to express its concern with the low figures (13.4%) of people who know their HIV status which could be a signal of inherent fear of disclosure among the Zambian populace,” he said. “The FODEP feels this scenario is not encouraging and inspiring the fight against the epidemic hence the need to reflect on effective strategies to be employed in fighting the AIDS epidemic.”
Chipenzi said FODEP was concerned that not much had been done in addressing the challenges faced by people living with HIV/AIDS in the electoral process.
“These people have been targets of the psychological violence of stigma and discrimination for sometime leading to most of them withdrawing from participating in the electoral process for fear of being stigmatised and discriminated,” he said. “Similarly, there has been public humiliation of people perceived to be living with HIV/AIDS seeking elective office. This has exacerbated their feeling of personal insecurity. Overly, their participation in the electoral process especially exercising their political rights has been undermined by their HIV status.”
Chipenzi said higher concentration of AIDS related deaths among the voting age population contributed to its participation levels declining in the electoral process because many potential voters would be either constrained by illness or care-giving rendering them unable to navigate complex procedural processes that were required for voter registration and voting.
“This will be compounded by the long distances citizens have to cover to access both registration and voting centres and may not withstand the long queues that form in some centres,” he said. “ It is incontestable fact that the impact of HIV/AIDS in the electoral process and political society in general needs urgent attention and solutions. It is FODEP’s considered view that more inclusive and effective strategies need to be devised in the fight against HIV/AIDS and its associated effects of stigma and discrimination in the electoral process.”
Chipenzi called for an open policy on the need for people to freely declare their HIV status without stigma and marginalisation.
“There is also need to build institutional capacity and effectiveness of our democratic institutions so as to encourage and increase participation of citizens living with HIV/AIDS in the electoral process,” he said. “ This is the only way we can ensure the respect of political, social and economic rights of those living with the disease. Therefore, 2011 should campaigns should display respect for people living with HIV and AIDS.”
FOUNDATION for Democratic Process (FODEP) has observed that there has been a salient feature among Zambian politicians of using HIV/AIDS as a weapon in electoral politics to marginalise their opponents.
FODEP Information Officer McDonald Chipenzi said reluctance by many politicians to declare their HIV status or encourage others to do so was a great blow to the fight against the stigma and discrimination in the electoral process.
“To some extent, their fear is justified as there has been a salient feature among Zambian politicians of using HIV/AIDS as a weapon in electoral politics to marginalise their opponents,” Chipenzi said. “Candidates who are perceived to be sick are undermined and destroyed before the eyes of the electorate. Weight loss by aspiring candidates is closely associated with AIDS causing doubts on the health of some
candidates by their parties and electorate. Candidates who are perceived to be sick are undermined and destroyed before the eyes of the electorate.”
He said the low levels of people disclosing their HIV status in the country was a signal that stigma and discrimination were still problematic issues in the fight against the disease.
Chipenzi noted that many people especially politicians fear that disclosing one’s HIV status was equated with political suicide or becoming a political liability to the party or society.
“It is a bald-faced fact that the loss of skills and experienced
personnel and reduced productivity from HIV/AIDS undermines the effectiveness of democratic institutions. It is on this premise that the Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) wishes to express its concern with the low figures (13.4%) of people who know their HIV status which could be a signal of inherent fear of disclosure among the Zambian populace,” he said. “The FODEP feels this scenario is not encouraging and inspiring the fight against the epidemic hence the need to reflect on effective strategies to be employed in fighting the AIDS epidemic.”
Chipenzi said FODEP was concerned that not much had been done in addressing the challenges faced by people living with HIV/AIDS in the electoral process.
“These people have been targets of the psychological violence of stigma and discrimination for sometime leading to most of them withdrawing from participating in the electoral process for fear of being stigmatised and discriminated,” he said. “Similarly, there has been public humiliation of people perceived to be living with HIV/AIDS seeking elective office. This has exacerbated their feeling of personal insecurity. Overly, their participation in the electoral process especially exercising their political rights has been undermined by their HIV status.”
Chipenzi said higher concentration of AIDS related deaths among the voting age population contributed to its participation levels declining in the electoral process because many potential voters would be either constrained by illness or care-giving rendering them unable to navigate complex procedural processes that were required for voter registration and voting.
“This will be compounded by the long distances citizens have to cover to access both registration and voting centres and may not withstand the long queues that form in some centres,” he said. “ It is incontestable fact that the impact of HIV/AIDS in the electoral process and political society in general needs urgent attention and solutions. It is FODEP’s considered view that more inclusive and effective strategies need to be devised in the fight against HIV/AIDS and its associated effects of stigma and discrimination in the electoral process.”
Chipenzi called for an open policy on the need for people to freely declare their HIV status without stigma and marginalisation.
“There is also need to build institutional capacity and effectiveness of our democratic institutions so as to encourage and increase participation of citizens living with HIV/AIDS in the electoral process,” he said. “ This is the only way we can ensure the respect of political, social and economic rights of those living with the disease. Therefore, 2011 should campaigns should display respect for people living with HIV and AIDS.”
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