CHAPTER ONE GENERAL INTRODUCTION
- Background to the Study
There is no doubt that one of the greatest health problem threatening human races presently is the HIV/AID pandemic. The HIV/AIDS epidemic is a massive and rapidly mounting disaster for children.1 Almost 3 million children are infected with the HIV virus or living with AIDS.2 More than 14 million children under the age of 15 have lost one or both parents to AIDS, the vast majority of them in sub-Saharan Africa.3
Globally, it is estimated that 1,150 children become infected with HIV daily and 2.5 million children are living with HIV worldwide4 while 80% of these children are from sub- Sahara Africa.5 While many children are infected with HIV/AIDS many more are also affected by this epidemic as it is estimated that 15 million children under 18 years have lost one or both parents to AIDS with the majority of 12 million children whom are from sub- Sahara Africa.6
In Nigeria, according to UNICEF7 statistic it shows that 3.6 million people are living with HIV while 300.000 children are infected with HIV/AIDS.8 With over 3 million people living with HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, stigmatization and discrimination are rife against them. Studies have shown that on daily basis children with HIV/AIDS encounter human rights abuse.9