The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) was proud to launch a series of workshops this July, designed to tackle the multitude of issues surrounding the devastating problem of HIV/AIDS in Libya. The first in the series sought to raise awareness on the subject amongst religious leaders, whilst the second turned its attention to the media and discussed reporting on HIV/AIDS. This November, the workshop focussed on providing support to those people living with HIV/AIDS.  Whilst the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Libya remains low by global standards, the ignorance and social stigma surrounding the virus means that there has been a reluctance to face up to the harsh realities of the endemic. Moreover, people living with HIV are left to suffer in silence, separated from their companions by a gulf of misunderstanding and often uninformed about the nature of their condition and the medical assistance available to them. The workshop, held in association with the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID) and the HIV/AIDS Regional Programme for Arab States (HARPAS), invited doctors, social workers and specialists, as well as people living with HIV/AIDS, to join forces in confronting the issue.

Ramanathan Balakrishnan, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative, spoke to express his sincere gratitude and admiration for the bravery of the participants living with HIV/AIDS who overcame countless social obstacles to attend the event and give voice to their needs. Indeed, the attendees spoke frankly about their personal experiences and were able to offer each other advice, support and a sense of solidarity.

The struggle to destigmatize HIV/AIDS is marked by exceptional individuals who have dared to defy social convention. Princess Diana was mentioned for her pioneering steps in allowing herself to be photographed touching people living with HIV/AIDS, in order to prove to a sceptical world that the virus is not transmitted by touch. But social contraventions on a smaller scale matter too. One speaker reminded the audience that “miracles don’t just happen, they are worked towards. Ten years ago, even holding an event such as this one would have been impossible. Us just being here is a miracle.”  That this workshop was able to take place at all is a testament to both the NCID and UNDP Libya’s awareness raising efforts and the remarkable courage displayed by the participants living with HIV/AIDS. The workshop offered those living with HIV a vital space to exchange information and to ask medical questions about their condition, questions that many may feel too ashamed to ask about elsewhere.  The participant’s outspokenness was crucial to UNDP’s efforts too, as it provided UNDP with information to ensure that their future programmes are tailored to people living with HIV’s very real needs.

The make-up of the participants served as a timely reminder that HIV/AIDS does not only affect the margins of society, rather it is a problem that permeates the entire social fabric of a country. The attendees living with HIV came from a vast range of social groups and consisted of men and women of all ages, mothers and pregnant women, the religious and the secular, professionals and intellectuals.  UNDP Libya believes that the current rate of HIV infection has reached a critical point. Without a concerted effort to raise awareness and reduce transmission rates, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS could increase exponentially in the next few years. Moreover, all sectors of Libyan society are potentially at risk. The workshop did not only look to support those already living with HIV/AIDS, but also discussed ways of reducing the risk of HIV transmission.

UNDP is deeply committed to the belief, laid out in their Millennium Development Goals, that people living with HIV/AIDS deserve their basic human rights, including their rights to marriage, education and employment. Sadly, many of these fundamental rights have historically been denied to people throughout the world living with the virus. The requirement that people provide a medical certificate, which includes information on whether or not they have HIV/AIDS, to apply for a job, for further education or to get married has seen people routinely excluded from these spheres. The ambiguity of legislation on the issue, coupled with widespread ignorance, has meant that many individuals have been prevented from practicing their nationally enshrined rights.  Only last year, a number of students were kicked out of university for being HIV positive.

Fortunately, thanks to the relentless efforts of NCID and the continued advocacy work of UNDP Libya and HARPAS, this situation is changing rapidly. As of this year, students applying for secondary or higher education no longer have to provide a medical certificate. For the first time ever, no student has been rejected from university this year for being HIV positive. NCID is campaigning tirelessly for other laws to be adapted and clarified so that people living with HIV/AIDS are no longer discriminated against at work or in marriage.

The NCID now has twenty-four branches, spread throughout the country, offering free, confidential HIV testing and counselling. The centres offer  a forgiving, non-judgemental atmosphere for those who are concerned about HIV and offers support and advice on reducing HIV transmission to all visitors, regardless of whether they have HIV or not. Those who test HIV positive are offered free medication, including specialised drugs offered to pregnant women to avoid the virus being passed on their offspring. Whilst those living with HIV/AIDS are encouraged to apply for jobs, they are also offered a welfare allowance to help them find their feet. To-date the centre has also supported twelve couples living with HIV/AIDS to get married. Above all, the centres strive to gain the trust of people living with HIV/AIDS, who often fear persecution or even jail if their identity is revealed.

Nevertheless, NCID and UNDP Libya still have much work to do. NCID has announced its intention to launch two more pioneering programmes. One is aimed at people living with HIV/AIDS who are also drug users and will train them in methods for reducing drug related HIV transmission. Nevertheless, HIV does not only affect these social groups, UNDP Libya intends to continue in its advocacy work, to campaign for a broader public awareness of an issue that affects the entire make-up of Libyan society.

 This December will see UNDP Libya launch of two further workshops; one is aimed at supporting HIV/AIDS prevention amongst youth and the other targets judicial reform, to improve the rights and legal treatment of people living with HIV/AIDS. These workshops serve as a testament to the changes taking place in popular perceptions of HIV, but also as an important reminder of how much change UNDP Libya is still determined to achieve in this field.