A
survey conducted by Life Concern (LICO) in 2010 revealed that land grabbing, denial
of property rights to persons living with HIV/AIDs especially the widows and
vulnerable orphans, eviction of HIV positive widows and orphans from their
marital homes because they were considered unuseful, and, discrimination against
and/or rejection by the communities in which they lived were some of the unfair
life experiences of the HIV positive widows and orphans in Zombo district.
Touched
by the desire to support these affected and infected persons, LICO with support
from Independent Development Fund (IDF) adopted a Human Rights-Based approach
to programming, as an intervention to promote the property rights of persons
living with HIV/AIDS (PLHAs).
LICO’s interventions built
confidence and strengthened the capacity of the vulnerable women and Children
affected and infected with HIV/AIDS. It also empowered them to demand for their
rights and have them effectively addressed by the relevant authorities and
institutions. Among others LICO trained affected and infected women and
duty bearers on property rights and will writing. This was intended to empower
them with knowledge on their rights and responsibilities to ownership of
property.
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| Parmu at her reclaimed land. Photo by gilbert Wachal |
Results from these interventions indicate that most PLHAs are
now empowered and are continuously utilizing the knowledge acquired to claim
their rights. Most can now report cases of rights abuses/violation to
different offices and push till they are helped. For
instance: Parmu Cellina 49 years old
a member of Dwong Ni Mungu PLHA group said after the sensitization and dialogue
meetings with duty bearers, she reported the case of land grabbing by Kasamba
William of brazil village to LC1 of Akoth village, who refered the case to the
elders. The elders who attended the meetings organized by LICO helped her to
resolve the case free of charge and the piece of land
was given back to her. She now has access, ownership and control over the land.
In addition to this, duty bearers (LCs 1-5, Land Committees at all levels, cultural and religious
leaders) have all realized their roles towards protecting the rights of PLHAs
and agreed to support them using an affirmative action.
Listening to the testimonies of the affected and infected women in Zombo
district there is no doubt that LICO’s
interventions have contributed to National HIV/AIDs strategic objective 3: To
mitigate the underlying social, cultural and economic effects of HIV&AIDS
at individual, household and community levels.
