Colombo, Aug. 21: To help women living with HIV lead a life of dignity and economic independence, the UNDP Regional HIV and Development Programme and Thailand’s Population and Community Development Association (PDA) have launched a “Women and Wealth Project (WWP)” in Cambodia, China and India, according to a press release from UNDP.
Under this project, groups of women living with HIV run small, market-savvy social enterprises, with technical and marketing support from PDA, UNDP, international agencies, and the private sector. PDA provided the HIV positive women with business management training to assist them in developing business plans before establishing their specific enterprises.
“Access to credit is a human right, as is the right for women living with HIV to be economically secure and independent. The beauty of this project is the economic empowerment it provides for the women, individually and collectively, and using a new and fresh approach through the strategy of business to provide them with business skills that they can use in overcoming the barriers associated with living with HIV.” said Mr. Mechai Viravaidya, Founder and Chairman of PDA. “As I have often said, to combat the issue of HIV we all must think out of the box.”
“In a rapidly feminizing epidemic, the socio-economic independence of women is essential – it enables women to cope with the devastating impact of the epidemic on their family life and sources of livelihood. Smart skills and regular incomes can reduce situations of HIV-vulnerability and helps positive women live with dignity and security,” said Ms. Caitlin Wiesen, Regional HIV/AIDS Team Leader and Programme Coordinator, UNDP Regional HIV and Development Programme. read more
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