Women and juvenile prisoners to be taught to prevent HIV infection

The women and minors in prisons will be trained to prevent HIV infection and to protect persons living with HIV/AIDS. The activities will be performed within a project launched by the International Society for Human Rights – Moldovan Section in partnership with the German organization “Pro NGO! e.V”, Info-Prim Neo reports. Project coordinator Liubov Nemchinova told a news conference that the beneficiaries of the project are women of the Rusca penitentiary and underage persons of the Lipcani penitentiary. “The fact that even the relatives are afraid of the infected persons is worrisome. They fear to bring the children to meetings with their parents in penitentiaries because they don’t know what this virus is. There are public workers in boarding schools who do not allow the children to see their infected mothers. The people infected with HIV are afraid to speak about this. I want to say that only three persons all over the country agreed to appear in public and admit that they are infected,” said Liubov Nemchinova. Director of “Pro NGO! e.V” Hans Born said that the project is aimed at dealing with the problem of discrimination against women and juvenile prisoners. “Representatives from Moldova will be able to visit the head office of the organization in Germany and to exchange experience there as regards the work with former detainees to combat discrimination,” he stated. The Strengthening Moldovan Civil Society Organizations in HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care for Women and Juvenile Prisoners Project is 80% financed by the European Union. Its budget is about €517,000. The project activities will include provision of psychological and social assistance in solving HIV/AIDS problems and strengthening of the relations between detained persons and their families.