Azerbaijan, Baku /corr. Trend S.Agayeva / On July 13, UNICEF Representative in Azerbaijan, Hanaa Singer expressed her alarm regarding the stigmatization towards people living with HIV/AIDS.
"With many people continuing to associate HIV with negative stereotypes such as drug addicts, prostitutes, and "bad behavior", UNICEF would also like to remind Azerbaijan that no one is immune to the disease and more must be done to foster care and support within communities and society at large," she said.
"The media can be an essential tool in combating HIV/AIDS. More than any other disease, AIDS is driven by a combination of social factors, including inequality, stigmatization, and ignorance."
UNICEF is also regretful that Article 34 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on "protecting the child from all forms of sexual exploitation and sexual abuse" and Article 24 concerning "the right of the child to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health and to facilities for treatment of illness and rehabilitation of health" were violated in some media reports.
Additionally, UNICEF reminds that children affected by trafficking, prostitution, and pornography should be considered as a victim, not as a perpetrator, and, thus, the NGO appeal to all those concerned to ensure full respect for victims' human dignity, as well as special protective support within the family and society.