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Guidelines on HIV testing of minors or orphans
Katie Schenk. Horizons/Population Council.
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Difficult situations arise when adults are unavailable to give consent on behalf of their children for programmes and research relating to HIV/AIDS prevention and care, are growing. Many of these issues are addressed in the forthcoming ?“Ethical Guidelines for Gathering Information from Children and Adolescents in International Settings?” to be available from Horizons/Population Council.
One approach to representing the best interests of a child who cannot legally give consent, or if there is any doubt about the protection provided by the guardian, is to appoint a ?“child advocate?” i.e. an adult familiar with the child?’s circumstances and without independent interests to oversee the interaction with the child and make sure that their protection is assured.
Although children have a right to participate in decisions affecting their situation, local law and culture in some settings may also emphasize, the role of suitability mature young people as ?“emancipated minors?”, empowered to make such decisions on their own behalf. In addition, the importance of the extended family and community structures in such situations should not be overlooked. Seeking consent on behalf of children without guardians may be viewed as a multi-layered process, and relatives, traditional leaders, school teachers etc, may all have a role to play.
For further exploration of these thorny issues, including the avoidance of stigma, look out for the ?“Ethical Guidelines for Gathering Information from Children and Adolescents in International Settings?” or contact [email protected] to request a copy. |
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