Fighting discrimination….One minute at a time

Human Touch Foundation is organising a one-minute short film competition in a bid to combat discrimination against HIV. NT BUZZ finds out more

Janice Savina Rodrigues | NT BUZZ

What would you do if your best friend told you that he or she has HIV? Would you visit your neighbour’s house if you got to know that one of the members died of AIDS? Most people may be wary in answering these questions, lest they be labelled with being discriminatory. In fact, these very questions are highly discriminatory.

Medical science has advanced to such an extent that a person living with HIV can often outlive those who have been detected to have cancer. But the discrimination continues to plague today’s society. In a bid to challenge HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination and explore its negative impact on people living with HIV, the Goa-based, youth-led NGO Human Touch Foundation is organising a one-minute short film competition.

The foundation has opened the competition to explore the impact in terms of self and social acceptance, access to HIV prevention and treatment services, education and employment opportunities as well as many other aspects of everyday life.

“HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination refer to negative perceptions and attitudes, misconceptions, prejudice and abuse directed at people living with HIV. In spite of the remarkable progress made in advancing HIV science, stigma and discrimination founded on the fear surrounding the early AIDS pandemic in the 1980s continues to persist to this day,” says founder and CEO of the foundation, Peter Borges.

The consequences of stigma and discrimination have been proven to be invariably devastating. People are shunned by family, friends, community and society, while others face poor treatment in healthcare and education settings, violation of their human rights, and psychological damage. These often push people living with HIV further underground, limiting their access to prevention, testing, treatment and other lifesaving health services.

The competition is open to students from higher secondary schools and colleges affiliated to Goa Board and Goa University. The entire idea of the competition is to involve the youth and get their perspectives onboard. And keeping this in mind, Peter tells us that they will be looking at films that address the devastating impact of and showcase ways to challenge HIV and AIDS related stigma and discrimination, “It could show the effects of having your work tenure terminated due to the HIV status; or a doctor refusing to treat an HIV positive or that of a student recently been diagnosed with HIV being discriminated against by his/her peers and lecturers, the impacts of these can be truly devastating,” says Peter.

The films will be judged by a panel of judges including known names from Goa’s film fraternity, members of the department of health/Goa State AIDS Control Society and representatives of people living with HIV. The film will then be used to spread awareness and for educational purposes.

(The competition is open to students of higher secondary schools and colleges affiliated to Goa Board and Goa University. The last date to submit the films is November 20 by email – getintouch@humantouch.ngo. Contact Richard Williams -81975 49909 and Yasin Kalagar 78754 04325 for details)