National HIV/AIDS Commission – Forget The Parents, Give Us The Law Instead!!!
April 11, 2008 4 Comments
A previous article headlined ’16 and up’ of the Friday edition of the Nation newspaper [4th] caught my attention not so much the title but the contents that follow.
According to the story, the National HIV/AIDS Commission is ”seeking the support of Minister of Family, Youth ,Sport and the Environment Dr Esther Byer Suckoo in bringing to Cabinet proposals to eliminate the current anomaly between the age of consent [16 years old] and the age at which young people can seek medical services [18] on their own without parental consent.”
Is Pastor Sandra Holford [Deputy Chairman] in agreement with this? Would she like a law that says a 16 year old can seek medical services without her consent? Now that Dr Jacobs has been reappointed as Chairman, how will the secular and spiritual views square up with each other in tacking this HIV/AIDS situation in Barbados among the youth?.
I ask the question. What is so wrong that the Commission cannot launch an awareness program to sensitize and educate parents on the need to gave their 16 year olds permission to seek medical advice and get counselling when warranted in such cases? Why rush headlong to strip parents of their paternal rights?. What is the reason or reasons parents do not give their support when their 16 year olds want to be tested and seek medical advice.
I search and in my searching unfortunately those questions were not asked or answered.
Director Alies Jordan added, ”we will be asking for that amendments to be made to the existing legislation along with other types of amendments or drafting of new legislation that will create the right type of enabling environment which will allow our HIV prevention efforts to be successful.”
What other amendments?. What new legislation?. Again the newspaper fails to ask such a question. Does these other types of amendments includes having 15 & 16 yrs olds abort babies without their parent knowledge and approval?.
The Commission has done a poor job in curbing the promiscuity of young people and seeking Ministerial support to eliminate the anomaly that exists as you rightly say would only ”put a dent in the spread of the deadly virus.”
We don’t need a dent. We need an Impact!.
young people deserve and have a right to medical care and that includes care of their sexual health. i don’t see how parental rights are at issue, the question is one of access to adequate and preventative health care.
But it is an issue that’s why the HIV/AIDS Commission wants to legalize access. The question is why by pass the parents in the first place without bringing them into the process? not denying young people adequate and preventative health care which they rightly deserves.
well, many parents don’t do much parenting and can hardly take care of themselves. also, the parent might not have a relationship with their child where the child can speak openly about his/her sexuality. meanwhile, the children are having sex and are in need of health care, not just hiv tests but pap smears and checkups and i don’t see why they should need anyone’s consent to access these services.
Fine I can understand that as a matter of fact I believe that may be one of the reasons if not the only reason but that still does not excuse the Commission for not having an awareness program to educate parents beforehand and don’t forget the other amendments they alluded to. What’s the big secret there?