These Days
Readers would have noticed the sudden spike in the number of AIDS awareness programmes being held across the State over the past week. Some might even have begun wondering about the reason behind this sudden urgency in addressing the challenge of HIV/ AIDS.
To rest the sense of worry which may have crept into some minds - The elaborate “Red Fest” events are to build up momentum for the World AIDS Day which falls on 01 December. And there are more “Days” coming up, 03 December, for example is World Disabled Day. Both, a day devoted to HIV and AIDS and a day to underline the rights of the Disabled, are important dates as far as the social health of a people is concerned. Through the year, there are many more specific dates devoted to various issues. Unfortunately, these special days have grown into so many and the observations so routine that they have lost all significance. In most cases, the public reaction to these ‘days’ is one of disinterest and borders on dismissal and even aversion in others. Most see it as a waste of time and others as a nuisance because of the mandatory rally which disrupts traffic and marches students with placards on issues which visit them with any seriousness only once a year. Issues such as AIDS and the rights of the Disabled, most feel, cannot be addressed through processions, banners and quiz competitions and require a much more dedicated and consistent effort throughout the year. They are obviously correct in believing so, but the argument is incomplete.
What should not be lost focus of is that Days are earmarked through the year for continuing problems; problems which do not surge and ebb, but consistently eat into the social health of the community. AIDS, for example, does not suddenly claim more lives, nor does insensitivity towards the rights of the disabled rise at any particular time of the year. Their persistent presence numbs us to the real dangers posed by the problems and before one realises, they cease to even be seen as issues which need community participation to address and resolve. As apathy grows, even the media, the deliverer of information, loses interest [because the people have apparently lost interest] and as the challenge stops being flagged often in the public domain, an extant problem fades from public memory. Those grappling with the problems start working in a vacuum and the whole pressure to deliver solutions and catalyse public response lifts. The pressure lifts only as much as in public scrutiny [of the efforts] is concerned, but multiplies manifold for the field workers because they are left without the anchor of genuine people’s participation. What one must also bear in mind is that HIV, AIDS and rights of the Disabled are issues floundering because of the poorly informed prejudices of the society at large. The challenge continues to be one of shaking up the people with information and modulating more tender responses. It is thus essentially to bring a problem back to focus that one observes various Days- to keep reminding the public that a problem has not gone away, to remind them that their involvement needs to continue. It is with the arrival of such days that the media is not only provided a peg to return to a continuing story, but also, with the elaborate hosting of such days, forces them to report on the challenge. Essentially, these Days are observed so that we do not forget. These should be Days which are observed in a way that forces lay people to reflect on the issue at hand and decide his/ her role and contribution towards addressing it. These Days, those participating in it and those organising it should realise, are about more than sporting ribbons of support or holding up placards or even about getting shocked by the latest statistics; These Days should be about understanding the next course of action and endorsing or amending it. These are Days to get involved.
What these Days should also be about is to fix accountability. The World AIDS Day, for instance, should not be just about updating ourselves on the number of HIV+ve people and the number of lives lost to AIDS, but should also be about informing the people about what is being done on ground to combat the Virus and what has been achieved. This should be a day when the people collectively agree on the priority interventions and customise awareness and intervention to the situations here. What this would achieve is more worthwhile observance of the Day than the uninspired by-the-numbers routine pulled off every year.
Readers would have noticed the sudden spike in the number of AIDS awareness programmes being held across the State over the past week. Some might even have begun wondering about the reason behind this sudden urgency in addressing the challenge of HIV/ AIDS.
To rest the sense of worry which may have crept into some minds - The elaborate “Red Fest” events are to build up momentum for the World AIDS Day which falls on 01 December. And there are more “Days” coming up, 03 December, for example is World Disabled Day. Both, a day devoted to HIV and AIDS and a day to underline the rights of the Disabled, are important dates as far as the social health of a people is concerned. Through the year, there are many more specific dates devoted to various issues. Unfortunately, these special days have grown into so many and the observations so routine that they have lost all significance. In most cases, the public reaction to these ‘days’ is one of disinterest and borders on dismissal and even aversion in others. Most see it as a waste of time and others as a nuisance because of the mandatory rally which disrupts traffic and marches students with placards on issues which visit them with any seriousness only once a year. Issues such as AIDS and the rights of the Disabled, most feel, cannot be addressed through processions, banners and quiz competitions and require a much more dedicated and consistent effort throughout the year. They are obviously correct in believing so, but the argument is incomplete.
What should not be lost focus of is that Days are earmarked through the year for continuing problems; problems which do not surge and ebb, but consistently eat into the social health of the community. AIDS, for example, does not suddenly claim more lives, nor does insensitivity towards the rights of the disabled rise at any particular time of the year. Their persistent presence numbs us to the real dangers posed by the problems and before one realises, they cease to even be seen as issues which need community participation to address and resolve. As apathy grows, even the media, the deliverer of information, loses interest [because the people have apparently lost interest] and as the challenge stops being flagged often in the public domain, an extant problem fades from public memory. Those grappling with the problems start working in a vacuum and the whole pressure to deliver solutions and catalyse public response lifts. The pressure lifts only as much as in public scrutiny [of the efforts] is concerned, but multiplies manifold for the field workers because they are left without the anchor of genuine people’s participation. What one must also bear in mind is that HIV, AIDS and rights of the Disabled are issues floundering because of the poorly informed prejudices of the society at large. The challenge continues to be one of shaking up the people with information and modulating more tender responses. It is thus essentially to bring a problem back to focus that one observes various Days- to keep reminding the public that a problem has not gone away, to remind them that their involvement needs to continue. It is with the arrival of such days that the media is not only provided a peg to return to a continuing story, but also, with the elaborate hosting of such days, forces them to report on the challenge. Essentially, these Days are observed so that we do not forget. These should be Days which are observed in a way that forces lay people to reflect on the issue at hand and decide his/ her role and contribution towards addressing it. These Days, those participating in it and those organising it should realise, are about more than sporting ribbons of support or holding up placards or even about getting shocked by the latest statistics; These Days should be about understanding the next course of action and endorsing or amending it. These are Days to get involved.
What these Days should also be about is to fix accountability. The World AIDS Day, for instance, should not be just about updating ourselves on the number of HIV+ve people and the number of lives lost to AIDS, but should also be about informing the people about what is being done on ground to combat the Virus and what has been achieved. This should be a day when the people collectively agree on the priority interventions and customise awareness and intervention to the situations here. What this would achieve is more worthwhile observance of the Day than the uninspired by-the-numbers routine pulled off every year.
now why doesn't NOW do the HIV awareness outreach a service by unearthing high profile HIV positive cases in Sikkim. of course before you decide to make their status public through your paper you can give them the more 'honourable' option of making such a disclosure voluntarily.
ReplyDelete