HIV/AIDS AND SOCIAL JUSTIC

The nature of social justice in health is to provide assistance with fairness

in distribution of equal health ethics to all sufferers of HIV, regardless of status,
race, or gender. Fundamental health care services cater appropriately according
to the objective needs of the sufferers. Additionally awareness and prevention
treatment programs must be implemented as part of an effective public health
approach of humanity in saving lives with quality.
Early stages of HIV produced intense fear and panic due to the atrocity of
the disease. Victims were stigmatised and ostracized from society and a social
barrier created discrimination which resulted in the increase of psychological
vulnerability. Health principles value worth as measure of distribution and in the
context of health care, it never really considered.
A big shift with adjustments towards the human rights occurred within the
last two decades, created through WHO promoting global awareness of the
disease, to endorse respect, dignity, and self-worth. As morals of human rights
are inseparable from social justice of health, particularly within health
organisations and services. In-spite of all the awareness and all the health
promotions, there is still a gap to fulfil regrading those who are targeted by the
virus.

Generally

the

sex

worker,

low-socioeconomic

predominantly

the

uneducated classes who are the most at risk and are vulnerable. Disparity exists
in all societies and reflects of the way people live, however in Australia the most
targeted group are the sex workers and the Aboriginal community nevertheless
the HIV is better controlled compared to other parts of the world.
The Australian government is lobbying to improve the public health
policies for the rights of the sex-workers with the provision of precise health
information to reduce humiliation and empower equality and justice to the
voiceless. A law was implemented to decriminalise sex work for people with HIV
infection, nationally instigating solidarity to victims particular sex workers with
social health justice. Promoting higher access to health services and providing
adequate health literacy regarding a right to health and been valued in-spite of
the HIV infection, it is not a death sentence neither should it be a prison
sentence. Supporting the vulnerable with the appropriate precautions, and
spreading awareness to the nation as we all need to live with HIV victims without
discrimination.
1

PHE1SDH Enquiry 2,2014

MARY HENDER 17912099

HIV/AIDS AND SOCIAL JUSTIC

An aspiration and goal of WHO is to fulfil the remaining gap in the
contemporary world, by promoting education in-order to minimise the spread of
HIV/AIDS and give a voice to the voiceless by promoting social justice for a better
world.

References:
Burris, S., & Anderson, E. D. (2010). A framework convention on global
health: Social justice lite, or a light on social justice?The Journal of Law, Medicine
& Ethics : A Journal of the American Society of Law, Medicine & Ethics, 38 (3),
580.

Jeffreys, E., Matthews, K., & Thomas, A. (2010). HIV criminalisation and sex
work in
australia. Reproductive Health Matters, 18 (35), 129-136. doi:10.1016/S09688080(10)35496-6

Rogers, J., & Kelly, U. A. (2011). Feminist intersectionality: Bringing social

justice

to

health

disparities

doi:10.1177/0969733011398094

PHE1SDH Enquiry 2,2014

MARY HENDER 17912099

research. Nursing

Ethics, 18

(3),

397-407.