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Abstract
Disablement pensions initiated by support group's advocacy work
S Klavins
AGIHAS (PLWHA Support group), Riga, Latvia
Issues: Due to the economic situation in Latvia several PLWHA (People Living with HIV/AIDS) from our support group AGIHAS became unemployed. The overall expenditures of PLWHA are higher than those of healthy persons: the recommended higher food intake and complementary treatments being just some among the others.
Description: In order to get disablement pensions to PLWHA our group wrote a letter to the Latvian Head Expert on Disability, explaining all the aspects of the problem. Due to the confidentiality reasons it was stressed that a new file like "AIDS" should not appear - disability being allotted on general conditions (so that no lists of named PLWHA could appear anywhere).
With the help of the Latvian Infectology centre and the National AIDS Prevention centre materials were gathered for the proposal to the Ministry of Welfare. Its decision was favourable.
Lessons learned:Such victories are big empowerment to PLWHA and their support groups.
We are proud that Latvia was the first Baltic State where disablement pensions to PLWHA were introduced.
Recommendations:Even a small NGO (non- governmental organisation) is capable of state- level advocacy aimed at better quality of life of PLWHA.
AIDS/NGO may sometimes need the help of governmental institutions because of their better links with the decision- makers. For a PLWHA support group lobbying by others is also essential because the public opinion often is - if you are defending the interests of PLWHA, you are one of them.
The XIV International AIDS Conference
Abstract no.
WePeF6844
Suggested Citation
" S Klavins ,
Disablement pensions initiated by support group's advocacy work
.
Poster Exhibition:
The XIV International AIDS Conference:
Abstract no.
WePeF6844"
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