Twenty HIV positive women will tell their stories of being denied of inheritance and property rights in Sri Lankan capital Colombo as part of the 8th International Congress on Aids in Asia and the Pacific (ICAAP), a senior UN official said Thursday.
Caitlin Wiesen, Regional HIV/AIDS Team Leader of the UNDP Regional Center in Colombo, told reporters that the "Asia Pacific Court of Women on HIV, Inheritance and Property Rights" will be the first regional summit on this compelling issue.
Wiesen said, "When women are denied their rights to inheritance and property, they are robbed of the social and economic empowerment needed to help prevent HIV infection and cope with its impact on families and communities."
She said the feminization of epidemic in the region are daunting, with about 30 percent of the new infections in the region being among women.
"With little or no control over their sexual lives and burdened by abuse, exploitation and violence, women in the region are extremely vulnerable to HIV," Wiesen said.
About 30 testifiers and expert witnesses from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Papua New Guinea, Thailand, Malaysia and other countries will present testimonies to the Eminent Jury in the Court.
Wiesen said the Court, aiming at bringing to public focus the challenges faced by women in the context of HIV and AIDS, is scheduled to be held on Saturday.
Organizers said over 2,000 delegates from 40 countries will attend the 8th ICAAP from Aug. 19 to Aug. 24.
Source: Xinhua
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