Five jobs lost due to HIV
For a long time Ma did feel like an outcast. Once his disease was known Ma was frozen out of his family life and by society at large. He once felt so frustrated he formed the intention to commit suicide.
China's state media CCTV broadcast an interview with him in November 2010, and the next day he was fired by his current employer. It was the fifth time that Ma lost his job because of his condition. Since then Ma has been unable to find another and presently lives on a friend's material assistance.
People living with HIV seldom expose themselves to the media because public knowledge of their plight tends to bring prejudice to the surface and even causes panic among some community members. Ma is brave enough to stand up for his fellow afflicted, especially after so many bitter experiences. He hopes to eliminate misconceptions about HIV sufferers.
Employment equity
Three lawsuits charging discrimination against HIV-infected individuals have come before the courts in Anhui, Sichuan and Guizhou Provinces since October 2010, arousing public attention to the issue of employment equity for these unfortunates.
A college graduate surnamed Wu was refused a teaching position in July 2010 despite his professional qualifications. Wu sued the Education Bureau of Anqing City, but the local court eventually ruled against him. Similar stories are told by two other prospective teachers and not a single case of discrimination has resulted in a legal victory.
According to the 2006 Regulations on AIDS Prevention and Treatment, people infected with HIV, as well as their families, have a right to medical treatment, education, employment and marriage licenses. However, many organizations in China still exclude the HIV-infected as physically unqualified for jobs, including even the public service.
According to statistics from the Ministry of Health, China has 429,000 people living with HIV. As of September 31, there have been 86,000 recorded deaths from the illness since the first HIV-infected patient was discovered in 1985.
