Fear of HIV/AIDS Stigma in Little Myanmar Reporter: Craig Knowles Date: 26/11/2013 Slug: Burma HIV I !

R" #ear o$ stigma an% %is&rimination means man' people in Burma %on(t get teste% $or HIV/)IDS in t*e &ountr' + lea,ing t*e %iseases untreate%Burmese migrant wor.ers li,ing in !*ailan% are parti&ularl' ,ulnera/le as t*e' en0o' greater se1ual $ree%om t*an t*eir /rot*ers an% sisters /a&. *omeCraig Knowles reports $rom 2a*a&*ai3 !*ailan%!45! S#5 $is* %o&.s !*ailan%(s $is*ing in%ustr' pro,i%es emplo'ment $or tens o$ t*ousan%s o$ Burmese migrants w*o *a,e $le% t*eir &ountr' in sear&* o$ a /etter li$eIt(s low pai%3 %i$$i&ult an% o$ten %angerous wor.2an' o$ t*em wor. *ere at 2a*a&*ai+ ni&.name% 6ittle 2'anmar + 78 .ilometres sout*west o$ Bang.o.S#5 %o&. wor.ers 2ost %o&.wor.ers *ere earn t*e minimum wage o$ 6 9S %ollars a %a'!*e wor.ers $a&e numerous *a:ar%s)/out a t*ir% o$ t*em are not o$$i&iall' registere%3 ma.ing t*em targets $or *arassment /' e1tortion gangs an% t*e aut*orities!*e' are poorl' e%u&ate% an% %ream o$ one %a' returning *omeBut man' o$ t*em also en0o' new $ree%oms t*at were ta/oo in t*eir own &ountr'3 in&lu%ing se1ual e1perimentation an% multiple partners)n% t*at ma.es t*em ,ulnera/le to HIV3 espe&iall' t*e 'ounger wor.ers;a'ar 6in is $rom t*e $oun%ation $or 4%u&ation an% De,elopment;a'ar 6in &lip 1 <2ale3 4nglis*=: !*e largest num/ers o$ HIV in$e&tions among Burmese migrant wor.ers is /etween ages 18 to 28 /e&ause o$ two reasons- !*e $irst reason is t*e' want to e1plore more> t*e se&on% is t*e la&. o$ awareness o$ HIV/ )IDS an% t*e la&. o$ e%u&ation among t*ese 'ounger migrant wor.ers-?

S#5 %rop in &enter !*is %rop in &enter run /' @" Ra.s !*ai is an in$ormal pla&e w*ere Burmese migrants &an sa$el' a&&ess in$ormation a/out HIV/)IDS pre,ention an% treatment72A'earAol% !in !in )'e *as /een &oming to t*e &enter sin&e *er *us/an% %ie% o$ an )IDSArelate% illness se,en 'ears ago!in !in )'e &lip 1 <#emale3 Burmese=: BI *a% *ear% a/out HIV /ut I *a% ne,er seen or use% a &on%om w*en I was li,ing in 2'anmar-? )t t*e Center3 Burmese migrants are s*own *ow to use &on%oms an% prote&t t*emsel,es $rom HIV an% ot*er se1uall' transmitte% %iseases!*e' &an also a&&ess peer support ser,i&es an% &ounsellingwe is t*e peer support &ounsellor at !*e Bu%%' Centerwe &lip 1 <#emale3 Burmese=: !*e' nee% to .now t*e .nowle%ge- So we gi,e t*em e%u&ational material to rea% to .now a/out HIV transmission an% se1uall' transmitte% in$e&tions an% *ow to properl' use &on%oms to pre,ent HIV an% S!Is-? 2igrant wor.ers &an also o/tain re$errals $or *ealt* &*e&.Aups3 treatment an% support $rom a near/' &lini&Despite /eing a Csa$e pla&e( an% anon'mous3 man' Burmese still $ear stigma an% %is&rimination i$ t*e' &ontra&t HIVDr K*in !*ant ;in is t*e *ealt* a%,isor $or t*e Ra.s !*ai #oun%ationK*in !*ant ;in &lip 1 <#emale3 4nglis*=: BD*en t*e' are HIV positi,e t*e' %on(t want to3 *ow %o 'ou sa'3 tell t*eir status to t*eir relati,es3 t*eir *us/an%3 or t*eir wi,es---- espe&iall' w*en t*e' /e&ome ,er'3 ,er' ill an% no/o%' ta.es &are o$ t*em)t t*at time t*e' &ome to Ra.s !*ai <&lini&=- 9suall' t*e' are a$rai% o$ %is&rimination an% stigma in t*eir &ommunit'-? !*is $eature is pro%u&e% /' Craig Knowles $rom 2a*a&*ai3 !*ailan% $or )sia Calling-