Delhi Mahila Samiti - DMS (Women’s Forum of Delhi Network of Positive People - DNP+)
Submitted by celina on Thu, 02/07/2009 - 14:53
Delhi Mahili Samithi (DMS) is the State Women Forum of Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+) formed with a vision “to improve the quality of life of women and children living with HIV in Delhi thereby reduce vulnerabilities to women, girls and children”. DMS focuses on specific issues of women and children living with HIV in Delhi.
DMS is currently operating a Drop In Center (DIC) for women living with HIV (WLHIV) at Lado Sarai, South Delhi supported by the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS). DMS provides counseling, peer support, referral services, information on life with HIV and outreach to WLHIV and their children apart from advocacy and networking. DMS also conducts a monthly support group meeting for WLHIV.
DMS is also doing a research on treatment literacy and access among women and children living with HIV in Delhi, and treatment literacy and gaps among service providers. The report of this research will be out soon.
39% of those living with HIV in India are women and women living with HIV (WLHIV) face the most brunt of the epidemic. From the role of daughters, daughter in laws, wives, sisters and mothers - to care providers, single parents, widows and bread earners to the families. Most of the members of the DMS are unemployed, homeless and single parents. WLHIV and their children face discrimination from families, societies, health care providers, workplaces and educational institution. It is very difficult to live in the world with stigma and discrimination for most WLHIV without support.
Treatment, food & mental health is very important for women and children living with HIV in order to live productive lives. Many women living with HIV are facing discrimination during delivery, during counseling services as falls and misleading information is given, lack of access to female Gynaecologists, lack of enabling environment for WLHIV at the treatment centres and lack of treatment literacy among women living with HIV and service providers, are some of the issues on treatment. Lack of access to treatment, care, support, and diagnostics services, stigma and discrimination remains a challenge for most women and children living with HIV in Delhi.
A person needs good nutritional diet to live healthy and productive lives with HIV. Sustainable livelihoods and food security still remains a challenge for most women and children living with HIV and most women living with HIV are either dependant or are not able to eat well in presence of sick husbands and or children. HIV has made House wives – widows and or with children to survive and then to search for livelihoods with limited skills. Empowerment only happens when a women has enough to eat, and have decisions making powers within.
In rural Delhi, most women living are either do not know their HIV status or are not aware about the consequences. For many women living with HIV they have to share the room with many other family members. And when their husband's die they have to move out of the house with out any property rights as there is no properties where they can turn back on. It is really difficult to survive in these circumstances.
Women and children living with HIV need an enabling environment at homes, Societies, Health Care Settings, work places and Educational Institutions. And better reach, shelter and livelihood options so that they could lead a healthy and productive lives with HIV.
Delhi Mahila Samiti is happy to be associated with World Care Council
For any support or association with DMS, please contact the Coordinator of DMS at: delhimahila.samiti@yahoo.com phone: (+91 11) 29521147
Delhi Mahili Samithi (DMS) is the State Women Forum of Delhi Network of Positive People (DNP+) formed with a vision “to improve the quality of life of women and children living with HIV in Delhi thereby reduce vulnerabilities to women, girls and children”. DMS focuses on specific issues of women and children living with HIV in Delhi.
DMS is currently operating a Drop In Center (DIC) for women living with HIV (WLHIV) at Lado Sarai, South Delhi supported by the Delhi State AIDS Control Society (DSACS). DMS provides counseling, peer support, referral services, information on life with HIV and outreach to WLHIV and their children apart from advocacy and networking. DMS also conducts a monthly support group meeting for WLHIV.
DMS is also doing a research on treatment literacy and access among women and children living with HIV in Delhi, and treatment literacy and gaps among service providers. The report of this research will be out soon.
39% of those living with HIV in India are women and women living with HIV (WLHIV) face the most brunt of the epidemic. From the role of daughters, daughter in laws, wives, sisters and mothers - to care providers, single parents, widows and bread earners to the families. Most of the members of the DMS are unemployed, homeless and single parents. WLHIV and their children face discrimination from families, societies, health care providers, workplaces and educational institution. It is very difficult to live in the world with stigma and discrimination for most WLHIV without support.
Treatment, food & mental health is very important for women and children living with HIV in order to live productive lives. Many women living with HIV are facing discrimination during delivery, during counseling services as falls and misleading information is given, lack of access to female Gynaecologists, lack of enabling environment for WLHIV at the treatment centres and lack of treatment literacy among women living with HIV and service providers, are some of the issues on treatment. Lack of access to treatment, care, support, and diagnostics services, stigma and discrimination remains a challenge for most women and children living with HIV in Delhi.
A person needs good nutritional diet to live healthy and productive lives with HIV. Sustainable livelihoods and food security still remains a challenge for most women and children living with HIV and most women living with HIV are either dependant or are not able to eat well in presence of sick husbands and or children. HIV has made House wives – widows and or with children to survive and then to search for livelihoods with limited skills. Empowerment only happens when a women has enough to eat, and have decisions making powers within.
In rural Delhi, most women living are either do not know their HIV status or are not aware about the consequences. For many women living with HIV they have to share the room with many other family members. And when their husband's die they have to move out of the house with out any property rights as there is no properties where they can turn back on. It is really difficult to survive in these circumstances.
Women and children living with HIV need an enabling environment at homes, Societies, Health Care Settings, work places and Educational Institutions. And better reach, shelter and livelihood options so that they could lead a healthy and productive lives with HIV.
Delhi Mahila Samiti is happy to be associated with World Care Council
For any support or association with DMS, please contact the Coordinator of DMS at: delhimahila.samiti@yahoo.com phone: (+91 11) 29521147