4 July 2005
Monash University student Ms Shyamala Nataraj has been nominated as one of the '1000 Women for Nobel Peace Prize 2005' for her work on HIV/AIDS related issues.
Ms Nataraj, who is studying for a Master of International Research Bioethics through the Department of Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine at Monash, has spent 16 years working with sex workers, governments, hospitals and community organizations in the Tamil Nadu region in India.
Her work has included fighting for the rights of people affected by HIV and dealing with discrimination issues.
Ms Nataraj, who lives in India, is spending 12 months in Australia during her studies at Monash.
She is one of 1000 women from 150 countries nominated as part of the 1000 Women for Nobel Peace Prize 2005 project. The project recognises the women for their commitment to peace and justice. The names of the 1000 women were released last week.
Ms Nataraj was working as a journalist when the first people in India were diagnosed with HIV -- all were women and all were in jail. They were jailed under prostitution laws but were detained beyond sentencing when they were diagnosed with HIV.
"I went to court to fight against their illegal detention. We won and in the end 1000 women were released from prison," she said.
"This case set precedent throughout India that people with HIV could not be detained because of their HIV status.
"In the process of finding out more about HIV I found out how easy it would be to acquire it. If I didn't do something then it would inevitably affect me too. That encouraged me to act."
Ms Nataraj has worked to ensure hospitals and community institutions build their capacity to deal with HIV by having prevention and care resources in place.
She now works for the South Indian AIDS Action Program, which works with non-government organizations throughout southern India on building awareness of HIV/AIDS-related issues.
For interviews, contact Ms Diane Squires in the Media Communications Office on +61 3 9905 9315 or 0417 603 400.
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