Online writers point out that the Day isn’t directed at canvassing against discrimination on account of HIV and Aids or similar themes, but unavoidably it also reminds activists that there is work to be done in that direction as in any other.
It can be said that one needs to use the moment to focus on discrimination generally, if any exists in one’s surroundings, and what to do there.
This year’s memorial was marked with the UN agency against AIDS (UNAIDS) leading the charge in the effort to mentally confront discriminations.
This was implemented by focusing on the need to take action to end inequalities surrounding income, sex, age, health status or occupation, as well as disability, race, class, ethnicity and religion.
There are also certain forms of discrimination which in temporary situations that need to be resolved rather than normalised – for instance, in the face of the debilitating effects of drug use.
All the same, the theme is relevant here as well, what with the need to take note of the duty to help drug users instead of abandoning them.
When one starts confronting such situations, it quickly becomes clear that it is no longer a matter of individual attitudes as such but rather in the way individual attitudes contribute to the shaping of public policy.
That is where the issue of communications comes in although, despite gains by global communications in generating the right sentiments when something wrong happens ignited by discrimination by individuals, UNAIDS has a rather sad story to tell.
The agency says that cases of discrimination and inequality continue to persist around the world.
It says inequality is growing for more than 70 per cent of the global population, chiefly arising from diminished fortunes and becoming more dependent on others, or on public agencies in numerous countries, which exacerbates the risk of discrimination.
That said, we still have plenty to be happy about in Tanzania, as we have generally had a relatively easy day in relation to current sources of acute discrimination, arising from plummeting fortunes in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
To be sure, many people have lost family members and breadwinners while a range of individuals, particularly those in higher age groups survived but with vastly reduced abilities, as Covid-19 after effects linger on for long periods.
Meanwhile, HIV and AIDS are not done with and, in the vicinity of all this, part of the impact of climate change is the pushing of thousands further into destitution with livestock deaths, making them dependent on others.
_0.jpg?itok=QU87XW8D){kind=tracking}
.jpeg?itok=vCj6bCRe)
