Female Cambodian Lawmakers Object to Language in Draft HIV/AIDS Legislation That ‘Singles Out’ Women, Girls for HIV/AIDS Education
Several female Cambodian legislators yesterday raised objections to language in draft HIV/AIDS prevention and control legislation that calls for "special education about HIV/AIDS diseases for young girls and household women," the Associated Press reports. The female lawmakers said that it is "promiscuous" Cambodian men, not women, who need more information about HIV prevention. Lawmaker Ly Kim Leang said that the passage was "unfair to Cambodian women who are being victimized by men's sexual behavior" and challenged its inclusion in the bill. Ho Non, another female lawmaker, said that men must change their behavior if the epidemic is to be stopped but added that the overall bill was a "timely response to the epidemic." A survey released last month by the Cambodian National HIV/AIDS Center found that men are visiting commercial sex workers less often than they used to and using condoms more regularly when they do, a change the center attributed to its condom campaign and increased HIV and STD awareness among men. During the debate, opposition leader Sam Rainsy said that the survey results were "inaccurate" because the government had not collected enough information (Associated Press, 6/4).
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