24th November, 2009

Press Release

NGOS PARTNER TO CELEBRATE THE WORLD AIDS DAY IN LAGOS, NIGERIA

NGOs partner to celebrate the World AIDS Day in Lagos, Nigeria on December 1^st, 2009. The Independent Project (TIP) for Equal Rights in collaboration with Youth Are Taking (YAT), Leaders with New Dimensions( LEND) and Gbagyi Child entertainment brings people from all walks to life to mark this day as it is tradition all the over the world on December 1^st of every year.

The theme for this year’s celebration is Universal Access and Human Rights with a sub theme: Working together against HIV stigma and discrimination. It is apparent and a cross cutting phenomenon all over the world that HIV related stigma and discrimination is a problem that needs to be tackle in ensuring the achievement of Universal Access by 2010 and mitigating the impact of AIDS by 2015. People living with HIV and AIDS (PLWHA) have been victims of human rights violations on the grounds of their HIV status which is a battle yet to be totally conquered by Civil Society Organizations. A recent statement from the Executive Director of TIP- Joseph Sewedo Akoro “Stigma and Discrimination suffered by PLWHA is injustice and unconstitutional” goes a long way to call for a policy evolution- protecting and respecting the rights of all people regardless of ALL status or differences as enshrined in the Chapter IV of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution and echoed in Article 2, 3 and 28 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).

On the Decemeber 1^st, 2009, TIP and its other partners opens the doors of Gbayi Child entertainment situated at Akin Adesola Street, Victoria Island. Lagos state, Nigeria to celebrate PLWHA and campaign against stigma and discrimination of PLWHA and other High Risk Groups (such as Men who have sex with Men, Female Sex Workers, Injection Drug Users and Young People) who are marginalized in HIV prevention programming. TIP catchphrase for the day shall be “Embrace Diversity, Stop Discrimination”.

TIP is a non-government organization that envisions a society that is free from discrimination of any sort and regardless of age, tribe, ethnic group, race, creed, religion and sex; including sexual orientation and gender identity/ expression. TIP works to achieve this through education, empowerment and policy advocacy.

For more information about the event, contact Olumide Makanjuola; Event and Capacity Building Coordinator through olumide.tip@gmail.com.

Submitted by:

Ohwerhi Efe Brown

Human rights program associate.

The Independent Project (TIP) for Equal rights-Nigeria