Ban Ki-Moon: 'Lift Travel Restrictions Against Those With AIDS'

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There are some countries across the world that place travel restrictions on those that are diagnosed with AIDS/HIV. In short, these people are not allowed to travel into those countries. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon has decided to address the issue of such discrimination.

Ban has said that such discrimination must be stopped. He said that it was surprising and shocking that the stigma about those with AIDS/HIV still exists.

“I call for the change in laws that uphold stigma and discrimination, including restrictions on travel for people living with HIV,” Ban said at the General Assembly. He said that stopping and reversing the spread of AIDS is both a goal and a prerequisite to helping reduce the rate of poverty.

Leaders and ambassadors of such countries that have these sanctions received letters to lift such travel restrictions. One AIDS activist, who is HIV positive, fears of being banned from entering over 70 countries across the world.

Those with HIV are banned from entering the following at the moment: Armenia, Iraq, Oman, Colombia, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Solomon Islands, the United States, Yemen, South Korea, and Sudan. Many have condemned such travel restrictions against those with AIDS/HIV.

So far, Ban has made it clear to the international community that such restrictions need to be lifted. In his own words, Ban said that this discrimination contradicts the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.