专家呼吁改善艾滋病儿童的生活

Social services designed to help children affected by HIV/AIDS do exist here in China, but providing full access to such services remain a major challenge.

Liu Huawen, is Vice Director from the Center for Human Rights Studies affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

He believes that government should accelerate the implmentation of a new law that protects children in disadvantaged situations.

"In a strict sense, there is no such a law in place in China for the protection of children with HIV. The present laws also fail to address ensuring the rights of those children who suffer from other disadvantaged situations. So we urge relevant authorities to speed up the law-building process to protect children's well-being."

Children living with HIV/AIDS also face discrimination in their communities.

They often drop out of school and shy away from seeking the social support they need.

Zhou Qingan, is a famous commentator and columnist. He thinks discrimination is one of the biggest challenges these children face.

"Social prejudice remains a big obstacle and trouble in China's work of AIDS control. The loneliness, which comes from discrimination, confines the children infected by HIV/AIDS to an environment without a future and sunshine."

Since 2004 when China brought in child patient treatments, workers devoted to AIDS control have constantly highlighted the importance of other services such as mental and emotional therapy.

However, such comprehensive services were not currently available.

Liu Huawen explains the additional support other than law needed to ensure the healthy development of children living with HIV.

"The changes wouldn't take place immediately if a law on the protection of the rights and interests of children with HIV was made. Change of concept in people's mind and the building of social services are also keys for a thorough solution."

Statistics from the National Center for AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Disease Control and Prevention show 8-thousand children are living with HIV/AIDS across the Chinese mainland.

Most of them contracted the virus from their mothers.

For CRI, I'm Xu Fei.