Muslim World Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Muslim World - Essay Example In a religious sense, the term Muslim world refers to the whole people who follow the teachings of Islam. From a modern geopolitical perspective, this term is used collectively to refer to Muslim-majority countries and regions. During the period of Rashidun and Umayyads, the Caliphate grew quickly and the Muslim power expanded beyond the Arabian Peninsula. Although the Islamic dominance on political issues has notably increased over the last century, intrusion of Western powers into Islamic regions and other international conflicts reduced the influence of Islam in the contemporary history. During the period between the early 15th and early 20th centuries, the history of the Muslim world is characterized with particular events, processes, and encounters. This paper will discuss some major events in the history of the Muslim world such as Sunni reform movement, fall of Granada, and the fall of Constantinople. Sunni Reform Movement Deobandi Movement, a popular Sunni reform movement is one of the major events that rewrote the entire history of the Muslim world. As Sankar and Mandal describe, the movement began in India as a reaction to the British colonial rule, and spread to the neighboring countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, etc. which later came to be the hub of this movement (62). Very recently its waves have reached South Africa and the United Kingdom. The term Deobandi derived from Deoband, the place where Darul Uloom Deoband, a Sufi School started in the year 1866 is situated. However after the partition of Pakistan and Bangladesh from India, India lost its prominence and Pakistan and Afghanistan became prominent promoters of this movement. The overwhelming prominence of Deobandi movement in Pakistan and Afghanistan soon made its spread to the other parts of the world. History Sunni reform movement is believed to have its origin in Asian countries like Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India and Pakistan. However some say that the movement was first or iginated in India as a reaction to the British colonialists. Those who say that this movement is originated in India point that the Sufi school Darul Uloom Deoband, from which the term ‘Deobandi’ is derived, is situated in India. Nadwatul-Ulama Lucknow and Darul Uloom Karachi are two notable Hanafi seminaries of Deobandi Schools. However, the historians and Muslim scholars say that the movement was present in other neighboring countries of India at the same time. In this context it has to be noted that the founding fathers of Debandi Movement were very much influenced by the Wahabi Movement that was present in Saudi Arabia. The only difference between the Wahabis and the Deobandis is visible in their approach to Ashri and Maturidi creeds. While the latter ascribe to both the creeds, the former adhere only to the literal meaning of both the creeds. Currently the movement is spread across the world including South Africa and the United Kingdom. Though it reached these cou ntries very recently, it has become very strong in these countries. Consider how it is growing in the UK. At present, over 600 of the total 1500 mosques here are under the control of Muslim scholars who favor Deobandi Teachings. Adding further, around 17 Islam seminaries; there are total 26 Islam seminaries in the UK, are following the same teaching. It means that more than 80 percent of the total domestically trained Ulema or Muslim scholars are trained to follow Deobandi doctrines. Spreading of Sunni movement Currently Sunni movement is present in many countries and continents including the United Kingdom, South Africa and Asia, the continent where it actually originated. Now it has become

Industrial Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Industrial Law - Essay Example How can a nation with thousands of years of history out of which just a short while ago she ruled the waves draw lessons conclusively from a nation born out of Britain's own bosom only few centuries ago notwithstanding the bloody conception Nonetheless, Britain has good reason to approach and compare her performances with her staunchest ally. Just as in the case of every other issue, on a subject like trade unionism there is nothing so fulfilling as a comparison with the best, even if the lessons learnt turn out to be infeasible. (James J. Brudney) There is a strong universal feeling hitherto unexpressed, especially among business circles that the world could do without trade unions. It is felt that trade unionism, like the socialist form of governance, has been a failure. Britain's tryst with collective bargaining has been particularly phlegmatic and uneventful. It is difficult to prove with any amount of conviction that something good has come out of trade unions. On the contrary, the identity of trade union has been riddled with anti-social activities, strikes, lockouts, go-slow tactics, union rivalries and even mayhem and murders. It may be for these reasons that nobody is really keen to be in the forefront when it comes to formations of trade unions in new corporations. Nonetheless, it must be granted that the presence of trade unions has had a transforming effect on society. Thanks to the principles of collective bargaining, there is more appreciation for the working class, better salaries and working conditions, better living standards, more purchasing power, and recognition and justice for the less privileged and the exploited. Therefore, the two extreme opposites of good and evil have dogged the trade union movement for such a long, disenchanting time that it stigmatized anyone to bring it up until the time was ripe for issue-based confrontations. One cannot but regard with a sense of amusement and awe the manifestation of potentials and capabilities hidden in the portals of trade unions. Come elections and employer-employee agreements, there is a beeline of the unlikeliest visitors humming and buzzing about damp, lackadaisical enclaves of the trade unionists hangouts. The role of trade unions in Europe The activities of trade unions have witnessed sharp decline in Europe. The trade union density is worst hit in France where it is merely 10% now. It is slightly better elsewhere in the continent. The position is much better in Britain where it is 44%. This is proof that in spite of claims of deteriorating working conditions by trade unions, Britain has one of the best employment regulation policies in the world. The fall of the socialist regime in the erstwhile Soviet

EU Law Fundamental Principles of EU Law Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

EU Law Fundamental Principles of EU Law - Essay Example Therefore, the best way to describe what the decision in the Ratti case is principally about is option b); namely, that the Ratti decision is concerned with when EC Directives can be enforced in national courts. As highlighted above, the ECJ took it as given that Directives are enforceable in national courts as highlighted by the summary of the preliminary ruling in paragraph 1 where the ECJ asserted that â€Å"in cases in which the community authorities have, by means of Directive, placed members states under a duty to adopt a certain course of action, the effectiveness of such an act would be weakened if persons were prevented from relying on it in legal proceedings and national courts prevented from taking it into consideration†. However, in the Ratti decision, the ECJ were concerned with when EC directives can be enforced in national courts as the case involved two directives, with the deadline date for one of the directives not having passed for implementation. This case involved prosecution of Mr Ratti by the Italian Authorities for breaches of national law concerning product labelling and whilst Mr Ratti had complied with two Directives, the expiry for implementation of one had not passed and the court asserted he could only rely the Directive for which the implementation time period had expired provided it was unconditional and sufficiently precise, but not for the Directive whose time period hadn’t expired. In highlighting the right to rely on Directives in national courts, the ECJ asserted in the paragraph 1 summary that â€Å"consequently, a member state which has not adopted the implementing measures required by the Directive in the prescribed periods may not rely, as against individuals on its own failure to perform the obligations which the Directive entails†. Nevertheless, the ECJ highlight in the summary and in the grounds section (paragraphs 20-24) that to be relied on, the Directive must be sufficiently precise and unconditional. Moreover,

Operation management Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Operation management - Assignment Example This is one of the important aspects in the operations of any organization; this is basically implemented in the product lifecycle. This operation in an organization aims to development of new products, product opportunities with competitive advantage. Quality This is an important aspect in an organization which ensures that in an organization there is effectiveness in its organizational structure, procedures, guidelines as well as the resources needed in the production of goods and services to meet customer satisfaction. Process and capacity design This is the process of ensuring that an organization determines the required capacity in order to meet the dynamics and the required organizational change. The design capacity is the maximum work or output that organizations produce or accomplish within an established time framework. A suitable capacity design in an organization should ensure that an organization achieves its effective capacity. Location selection This is where an organiz ation is located basically the physical location. Appropriate selection of the organizational selection is important because it contributes to effectiveness and efficiency in the context of accessibility. Layout design This is the organizational structure and the arrangement on how and where operations are done. Layout design is important aspect in ensuring effectiveness and efficiency on how operations are done; the layout design should be executed in accordance with the ways and the manner in which operations are done in an organization. Human resource and job design This is an organizational process which involves the management of the employees. This involves job selection where relevant vacancies are identified and thereafter recruitment and selection of qualified employee follows. This aspect is important because it ensures that the design job in an organization is matched with the appropriate skills and qualification for effective execution. Supply chain management This is a process in an organization which ensures that there effective and smooth execution of the organizational processes and activities. The importance of this aspect in an organization is that it ensures that the production process is effective and that the goods and services are made available in time and convenience taken into account in reaching customers and clients. Inventory This is an important aspect of an organization which ensures that there is appropriate and suitable management of demand and supply in an organization. Appropriate levels of inventory should be kept in an organization to ensure that the organizational operations are not subjected to any shortages or delays. Scheduling This is the organization and programming of operations notably is the production processes and accomplishment of activities. This aspect is important in determining whether the targets and goals of the organization have achieved. Maintenance This is important process in an organization whereby ope rations are maintained to ensure that they are working properly and operational. The aim of this process is to ensure that there is effective and smooth execution of operations and also a way of taking precautions on the eventuality of breakdown and failures. The notable key important areas in an organizati

Cognitive Process Culture Essay Example for Free

Cognitive Process Culture Essay Lamadrid takes into account the mythical or magical dimension of the novel and relates it to the emerging social consciousness of the protagonist. He asserts that Anaya elucidates that the command of Curandera is consequential in nature is derived from mythical though process and it resultant knowledge. These mythical thought processes itself are derived from resolution of the contradiction that is inherent within the culture. So he portrays power as capability to contemplate and comprehend the social processes in a dialectical way. So myth is not something extra-human and acultural phenomenon but it is a cognitive representation of social thought process. This scholarly article facilitates readers to understand the role of Antonio in the context of mythical realism and development of his mature social consciousness at the end of the novel. People resort to Antonio at critical times because they are inherently aware that these mediators have powers that can offer remedies to their maladies. So myth helps understanding the role of Antonio in the society and how this role is established. Mancelos, Joao de. Witchcraft, Initiation and Cultural Identity in Rudolfo Anayas Bless Me, Ultima. Alfarrabio. Retreieved on 12 October 2008. Website: http://alfarrabio. di. uminho. pt/vercial/zips/mancelos21. rtf This article manifests the development of Antonio and how different elements of chicano culture i. e. witchcraft, cultural identity play a vital role in helping him achieving maturity. He considers the role of Ultima and his witchcraft prowess to help Antonio explore his cultural identity. This article elaborates the role of his familial traditions, by his Hispanic lineage and his Catholic religion at an early stage of his life. Later he learned the tussle between Ultima and his religions but prefers Ultima and his witchcraft. All this contribute toward his maturity at the end of the novel. This article explains various developmental stages of Antonio and contribution of various factors during these periods and enables us to understand the contributories toward this development.

The Causes And Effects On Street Children Young People Essay

The Causes And Effects On Street Children Young People Essay Street children Introduction:- Also Street children as defined by the UNICEF: is divided into children on the street and children of the streets. Children on the streets are the children whose have home to live in, but they have a full time work or a part time work. Children Of the streets are the children whose home ties have been seriously weakened and who essentially live in the street (UNICEF, 1993, p.22). Children of the streets are which lives all there time on the streets or in other words children with no shelter except for the street. Also, a street child is defined as any boy or girl for whom the street in the widest sense of the word has become his or her habitual abode and/or source of livelihood, and who is inadequately protected, supervised, or directed by responsible adults( Lusk, 1989).according to Kopoka Children whose work on streets and take streets as a shelter, usually come from poor slums and squatter settlements where everything is precarious: Family financial situation, overcrowded schools and even safe place where they can run and play. Moreover, wars or armed conflicts cause the increasing of this problem where the children parents are killed and leave them alone with no shelter or place to live . On the other hand, there are children whose have guardians, but the guardians sent them to work to help the family, others are forced to work and live in streets. Even there are children from well to do families or middle class who run away from homes. The purpose of this essay is to show some of the causes and its effects considering street children problem, and analyse the solution to differentiate between good solution and bad solutions. Causes:- According to Lugalla and Mbwambo, 1995; there are lots of causes for this problem, some are natural and others are man-made. Children have lost contact with their parents or families, which results the loss of the children in the streets. Some children are the offspring of prostitutes. Some families reject their children if there are handicapped. Some respectable parent disowned their own child because he/she is an outcome of an affair. In those causes the background is not allows poor. Effects:- According to Harding, 2010; for every cause there is effect, and there are devastating effects on street children themselves and on the society they belong to. The children without education are without future, which means that they will not be able to defend their future and they will face lots of difficulties to have a better life. Moreover, being undernourished from such a very young age causes bad side effects on their health like malnutrition which effects there immune system and as a result shorter life expectancy. There are approximately 48 million young ones whose are not registered in their countrys archives, which represents around 47% of the child population around the world. 20 out of every 100 births in Latin America never registered. That mean that all of those 47% are not on paper which means they do not exist. This is a huge problem as those poor kids do not have identity, which exclude them from other right like the right to vote or the right to have a proper educati on or even low level education. Moreover, criminal gangs which really represent a huge disaster, as they use those unregistered children to do criminals and violence. Those children have no criteria to know what is right and what is wrong. They may expose themselves to very cruel situations like prostitution, sexual violations, drug consumption and other forms of modern slavery. According to stolenchildhood.net Street children in the third world, having no access to basic needs always become an easy prey of flesh traders. The demand of street children is high among the pimps and the brothel owners because these children sell themselves at cheap rates. These children are at high risk because they neither use contraceptives nor ask the clients to use them. Thus the chances of getting pregnant or catching a sexually transmitted disease is high. A finite circle is problem, because when children grows to be adults. They will be the best shape for crime; there will be evil walking on his feet. There will be individual illiterate adults with low moral beliefs, with damaged psychology. Those lovely poor children in the past will be the evil which will oppress other helpless and innocent children. All of this means that street children of today will be criminals of tomorrow. Analysis of Solutions:- Street children are a huge problem and any solution, even if it is not good, it will at least push forward to solve this problem. ESCWA has developed good solutions which are 1. to understand better the situation of street children through research in the following areas: 1.1 Quantitative data at national level to assess the magnitude of the problem. The statistics need to be disaggregated by sex and age. 1.2 Qualitative and quantitative research to examine the root causes that put girls and boys at risk, among them street children. This research will need to examine the link between poverty, inequality, exploitation, violence and exclusion. 1.3 Qualitative research to examine the everyday lives of the street girls and boys and the attitudes of society and the government towards them. 1.4 Policy level research examining the effectiveness of existing policies, planning and legislation and institutional arrangements and budgetary allocation targeting street children. 2. To shift the approach to street children from legalistic to preventive, protective and rehabilitative interventions, through a focus on: 2.1 Root causes and not only on symptoms 2.2 The economic and not only the social sector 2.3 Mainstreaming as well as specific institutions and actions for street children 2.4 The rights of street children as citizens and not as charity cases or delinquents 16 2.5 Street children not only as victims but also as citizens with the agency to participate in decisions which target them. 3. To enforce and monitor all international and national commitment to children 3.1 To review that all items of international conventions such as those pertaining to childrens rights and elimination of child labour are translated into legislation and other procedures. 3.2 To review that all enforcement procedures are in place and are implemented. 3.3 To strengthen all monitoring and reporting systems relating to relevant international conventions. 3.4 To review and further amend the Child Law 126/2008 by removing all clauses that undermine its effectiveness and to put in place all the necessary procedures and monitoring mechanisms. 3.5 To review and amend articles pertaining to corporal punishment in a way that prohibits all physical violence whether at home, school, work or any other institution. 4. To establish clear mandates and lines of institutional responsibility for street children 4.1 Strengthen crossà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ cutting entities 4.1.1 To strengthen the establishment of a unit or department in the new Ministry for Family and Population with a clear mandate for responsibility for street children. This entity would be a catalyst advocating, legislating and monitoring the situation of street children. 4.1.2 To review and strengthen the role of what was previously the NCCM Technical Consultative Committee. 4.1.3 To strengthen the Child Protection Committee according to the amended Child Law through appropriate budget allocation, establishment of clear guidelines and protocols and awarenessà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ raising and training for the committee members. 4.1.4 To establish surveillance system such as a childrens Ombudsman 4.2 Establish responsibility of line ministries 4.2.1 To strengthen the role of economic sector ministries in addressing poverty, such as the creation of jobs for poor women and men. 4.2.2 To strengthen the monitoring systems of the Ministry of Labour in the area of child labour. 4.2.3 To lift all exclusionary conditions from access to education such as the rising cost of education, forced private tuitions by teachers, mistreatment of poor children in schools, corporal punishment and gender discrimination. 4.2.4 To establish effective internal and external mechanisms and multispectral interventions to identify children at risk and design suitable and sustainable interventions to reduce and eventually eliminate the risk factors. 4.2.5 To formulate a new Social Protection Strategy with the full collaboration of all relevant state institutions and NGOs that focus on the rights of the 17 child, with a dedicated budget and clear roles and responsibilities for its implementation and monitoring. 5. To devise a comprehensive child protection system that addresses the issues of all categories of vulnerable girls and boys in all their diversity of age, class, religion as well as family and regional background 5.1 To devise a Social Protection policy for vulnerable girls and boys. 5.2 To devise a Social Protection strategy translated into crossà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ cutting and sectorial programmes and projects and procedures. 5.3 To create realistic budget lines for the implementation of the various components of the Social Protection system. 5.4 To create clear institutional responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the strategy. 6. To devise a National Strategy, programmes and projects specifically for street children 6.1 To evaluate the implementation of the National Strategy for the Protection, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of Street Children of 2003, as well as all programmes and projects directly targeting street children. 6.2 To build on lessons learned and design a new Strategy in collaboration with key state institutions and NGOs. 6.3 To design innovative and participative programmes and projects that address the conditions and circumstances of children already living on the street taking into account that: 6.3.1 There is more chance of succeeding by helping children get off the streets through early intervention, before they establish their new street kid identity. 6.3.2 For those who have been a long time on the streets, it is possible to use participative methods and consult them in the design of the most effective activities. 6.4 To strengthen all programmes and projects that helps the reà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ integration of street children into mainstream society. 6.5 To put in place actions that address negative attitudes of both the general public and state employees towards street children. 6.6 To work directly with the police to address the way they perceive and treat street children 6.7 To solicit more resource allocation for items listed in recommendation 5 above from government and from bilateral and multilateral organisations. 7. To strengthen the advocacy role of civil society organisations working with street children 7.1 To strengthen CSOs ability to establish channels of communications with street children and to help make their voices heard. 7.2 To raise the capacity of CSOs working with street children in the area of advocacy and lobbying of policyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ makers and politicians. 7.3 To support civil society networks and strengthens their roles as advocates of the rights and needs of street children. Conclusion:- At last the author believes that street children are a huge problem that has a lot of causes which can be minimized and a lot of effects that are considered a real threat to all means of life, it is waste of man power which harm economy, it threats security and of course it is totally against human right .

Impact of HIV on Society

Impact of HIV on Society The human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) pandemic is one of the most serious contemporary sexual health related issue affecting the human race today. By the end of 2009, it was approximated that 34 million people were living with the HIV virus and deaths related to AIDS were about 1.8 million people. HIV/AIDS has been the worst pandemic since its discovery; having claimed over twenty five million lives by 2005 with the Sub- Saharan Africa being the most affected (Douek, Roederer Koup, 2009). This paper focuses on the impact psychosocial, cultural and economic of HIV/AIDS and its related sexual health problems on the individual as well as the community. HIV/AIDS has a huge impact on the infected individuals family unit and the community they live in. The impact is dependent on the mode in which the virus is transmitted among communities (and who it infects), the diagnosis of infection, and the community setting in which the individual and family live. Introduction Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a retrovirus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Two strains of the virus, HIV-1 and HIV-2, have been described. AIDS is a human disease in which there is gradual failure of the bodys defence (immune) system thereby leading to severe and fatal opportunistic infections and cancers (Douek, Roederer Koup, 2009). Infection with HIV occurs through coming in contact with infected body fluids such as blood, breast milk, and sexual fluids such as pre-ejaculate, semen and vaginal fluids. The key modes of transmission are unsafe sex with infected person-both heterosexual and homosexual, contaminated items such as needles and razors, breastfeeding, and infected mothers infecting the newborn during birth. Blood and blood products screening for HIV has greatly eradicated infections transmission through infected blood and blood products transfusions. HIV eventually progresses to AIDS; the individuals mostly succumb to opportunistic infectio ns or malignancies resulting from progressive weakening of the immune system. Different individuals infected with HIV develop AIDS at different rates depending on the host, viral, and environmental factors; many develop to AIDS within ten years but in some it may be earlier or later. There is no cure for HIV/AIDS; treatment involves life-long use of a combination of anti-retroviral drugs and a cocktail of other drugs to treat any opportunistic infections (Douek, Roederer Koup, 2009). Infection with HIV usually has a huge physical, mental, social and economic impact on infected individuals, their families as well as the community in which they live. Stigmatization by other community members aggravates this impact; it hampers the prevention and management of HIV and impedes social support and disclosure of HIV status. The family units mostly affected by the HIV scourge are those of low socioeconomic status, such as drug users, asylum seekers and emigrants. The long-term impacts of living with HIV due to invention of better HIV care and management such as HAART (Highly Active Anti-Retroviral Therapy) have also evolved and changed many social aspects such as parenthood, disclosure HIV status and long term effects of the use of HAART on the individual. Another impact of the HIV is depicted in the inequality and discrimination individuals living with HIV experience when it comes to matters such as securing or sustaining employment and vital services like life assurance . Children have been known to bear the greatest impacts of HIV especially those orphaned and those infected with HIV. The number of orphans has been on steady rise due to AIDS-related deaths of the guardians and the fact HAART is ensuring infants born with HIV can live with the virus till they reach adolescence or beyond. All these factors collectively affect the community around them both socially and economically. The Physical, Psychological and Social Impact of HIV on Individual and Families Infection with HIV/AIDS leads to numerous bodily, mental and social issues that affect the individual and impacts on their families and communities at large. In the contemporary society, the definition of a family shifts from the traditional structure of biologically related members to include socially chosen relationships, for instance, close friends, partners, and close external family relationships such as homosexual men (Green, 2011). Before the discovery of anti-retroviral drugs, infection with HIV meant death within a short period of time. However, after the invention of HAART over a decade ago, there has been a gradual decline on the number of individuals succumbing to AIDS-related diseases in Australia, Europe and the United States. Currently, families have to deal with HIV infection as a chronic disease to be coped with for the life span of the infected individuals (Zuniga, Whiteside and Ghaziani, 2008). The requirement to take complex regime of many drugs is the foremost bu rden for the HIV-infected individual; many patients suffer anxiety, frustration, depression and hopelessness especially when the drugs do not accomplish or maintain the perceived benefits expected from the treatment regime. This could be due to virus mutation and individual resistance to the drugs (Zuniga, Whiteside and Ghaziani, 2008). It is documented that even when the treatment is effective, patients have other form uncertainties and distress. The impact of the HIV treatment is further aggravated by other factors such as worry about employment, sexuality, the prospects of relationships, and the social reactions of other community members. HAART has numerous side-effects, such as cardiovascular diseases and several of which have psychosocial consequences like lipodystrophy (Zuniga, Whiteside and Ghaziani, 2008). Members of the family may also be burdened by giving care to the infected as the disease advances, and they may be distressed by the stigma often associated with HIV infection. Another impact of HIV is the stigma and discrimination against persons living with HIV/AIDS. Apart from having to endure treatment with severe side-effects, they constantly have to cope with rejection and social discrimination. People with HIV/AIDS have to put with being labelled as victims a term that implies defeat, helplessness and dependence upon help from othersÂÂ  (Matic, Lazarus Donoghoe, 2006). The forms of stigma and discrimination vary geographically. Many nations have regulations that control the travel, entry and residence of persons living with HIV/AIDS. By the end of 2010, individuals living with the virus were restricted on long stays of over three months in sixty countries and eighteen of these even applied limitations on short term residence (Stutterheim et al, 2009) In healthcare sector, the common examples of stigma and discrimination experienced are being denied access to facilities and drugs, mandatory HIV testing without individual consent, and breach of c onfidentiality over the persons status. In the workplace, stigma from employers and fellow workers include social isolation and mockery, or experience biased practices, such as dismissal or denial of employment (Stutterheim et al, 2009). Others instances include denial of entry into a country, forced eviction from residence by their families and rejection by colleagues and friends. Stigma and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS greatly hinders efforts to successfully battle the HIV and AIDS pandemic. This fear of discrimination frequently averts individuals from seeking treatment and management of AIDS or from publicly disclosing their HIV status. On numerous occasions, the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS can extend to the family and siblings of the infected individual, creating an emotional burden on those left behind. HIV/AIDS-related stigma modifies over time as infection levels, understanding of the disease and treatment availability vary. For instance, in the Netherlands, the community response to persons with HIV/AIDS is quite positive; understanding of HAART was linked to perception of lower risk, with a positive attitude towards gay people, less fear, and a greater readiness to have personal contact with people with HIV/AIDS. However, in Eastern Europe, discrimination may be more severe, particularly of specific groups, such as gays (Stutterheim et al, 2009). Economic Impact of HIV HIV/AIDS has had the greatest negative effect on the economies of many countries all over the world. The pandemic has been devastating for many nations where it has caused deep poverty both to the individual, families and community. The magnitude of economic and demographic impact of HIV/AIDS infection in third world countries is pronounced due to the fact that it affects persons in the most economically able and productive age. Besides, it is also weighing down on the economic and health gains made in the last few decades. People with HIV/AIDS create a profound burden for public finances, especially in the sector of health. In a number of Caribbean countries, HIV/AIDS patients take up as many as a quarter of existing hospital beds (Green, 2011). The sub-Saharan Africa is the most affected with southern Africa leading with the effects of the virus. The World Bank approximation shows that gross domestic product (GDP) of South Africa reduced by twenty percent in 2010 due to the effects of the deadly virus (Salinas Haacker, 2006). Many other countries are using huge portion of their economic resources in providing treatment and care for people with HIV/AIDS. A research carried out by the University of the West Indies shows that the GDP of countries such as Trinidad and Tobago will drop by over five percent and that of Jamaica by 6.4 percent as a result of HIV/AIDS. The economic impact is poverty, a reduction in investments and savings, and rise of unemployment in vital industries such as agriculture and manufacturing (Salinas Haacker, 2006). The economic impact of HIV is greatly felt by the individual and their families. HIV/AIDS in many cases results in loss of income of the breadwinners and increase in expenditures as a result of caring for the infected. Families affected by HIV deplete their savings and assets in order to cope with increased expenditure and income shocks. Firm profits, savings and investments may reduce due to increase AIDS-related expenditure and lower labour productivity (Whiteside, 2008). According to ILO estimates, close to thirty seven million persons worldwide who are engaged in productive economic activities are HIV-positive. The mortality of these adults leaves the children as orphans and in cases where they were the sole bread winners; the children are left destitute (Green, 2011). Impact of HIV on Parenthood and Children The development of HAARTs has had an impact on pregnancy planning among people living with HIV. In the pre-HAART era, HIV-positive women were faced with their HIV status and the expected bleak outcome of death. The number AIDS-related deaths, however, has drastically gone down in women living with AIDS due to HAART; they now live longer healthier lives. Among the women in the reproductive age who are living with HIV, the decision about pregnancy is becoming an important one; this due to reduction of the risk of vertical transmission of the virus to the newborn (Noroski, 2009). Gains in prevention of mother to child transmission have led to emergence of new dimensions in the way communities view parenthood. Parenthood in HIV infected people is still eliciting many physical and social effects especially due to stigma and discrimination associated with the virus. Noroski (2009) outlines that concerns that might determine parenting decisions among people living with AIDS are the aspirati on for parenthood, religious beliefs, children one had before, the position of spouse and health care providers, and apparent spouse capacity to parent successfully. HIV/AIDS has greatly changed parenthood. Research findings shows that close to seventy percent of all HIV infected parents regarded their family planning to be over, since they did not plan bear any more children, sixteen percent were undecided, while fourteen percent had an explicit longing to have more children (Wacharasan and Homchampa, 2008). Children who are infected with HIV either during birth or later through breast milk now have a chance to survive up to adolescence owing to better treatment regimes. This means that more adolescents increasingly have to cope with the virus. Children living with HIV/AIDS have a high risk of death from opportunistic infections. The virus affects the children psychologically and leads to neurological impairment; as a result they have pronounced cognitive insufficiency or diminished cognitive abilities, have behavioural difficulties, and have a general low quality life. Children living with HIV may also experience challenges in leading a normal life due to the medication they must use regularly as well as problems that result from disclosure of their HIV status (Noroski, 2009). The other main impacts of HIV on motherhood are ethical concerns about the possible danger of spreading the virus to the newborn, the socioeconomic impact, concerns and stigma associated with bringing up a child by a parent who has a potentially fatal disease. The HIV/AIDS pandemic has greatly contributed to increase in the number of orphans universally. In Africa alone, there are over twelve million children orphaned by AIDS pandemic. The children are left destitute; at times the elder adolescents have to take up the parenting roles while majority are taken care of by their extended family members or foster parents. This long term care causes economic difficulties as financial resources are strained. The children become fully deprived of the care, guidance and protection of their parents and social problems begin to crop up. The children find themselves prematurely out of school. Statistics show that many of these children have to drop their education due to lack of resources, stigma and discrimination or simply to take up the role of premature parenting resulting from death of their parents. These effects are more pronounced especially after death of both parents. HIV/AIDS in the long term leads to numerous social impacts on the communit y such increase in crime rates, poverty, drug abuse, illiteracy, reduced productivity and eventual collapse of social system. Impact of HIV on Caregivers and Healthcare Sector The major burden of caring for the people living with AIDS rests with the family and the health care providers. In the era before anti retroviral therapy, this used to be an immensely stressing task because most of times the health of the infected patients deteriorated rapidly, they were bedridden and has to be taken care of. The advent of HAART has greatly improved the need for round the clock help since the patient can now lead a healthier life without need for much help. Important care givers are mainly the family, close friends and health workers. The major impact of HIV on the caregivers is stigma; usually referred to as secondary stigma or stigma by association. Parents of people living with HIV may be held responsible for the immoral behaviour that led to infection of their children with HIV. Wacharasan and Homchampa (2008) reported stigmatization as a primary concern for the caregivers. Rather than face stigmatization, caregivers may try to conceal their care giving activities by withdrawing from social relationships. In clinical practice, family caregivers may exacerbate demands of care giving by driving long distances to avoid community awareness of their care recipients HIV status. Some informal caregivers even avoid employing the professional home services of home health care, infusion therapy hospice, and hospice providers to avoid HIV/AIDS disclosure in their communities. Nurses working with informal caregivers fearful of status disclosure must be sensitive to the familys caregivers fear of discrimination and stigma (Wight et al, 2006). Nurses, knowledgeable of HIV friendly referral agencies with well established histories of providing confidential services can play a role in meeting the need for professional home-centred services and bringing solace to an informal caregiver fearful of HIV stigmatization. Caregivers of HIV-infected children also face stigma. Thampanichawat (2008) found primary caregivers of children with HIV infection dealt with the stigma of AIDS while managing their anxiety and fear of loss. Bore much burden of care and faced many difficulties because of limited resources. Similar studies report increased financial difficulties, problems in child care and support and compromised help-seeking due to stigma. These findings emphasize the need to develop interventions to enable caregivers to seek out and identify financial resources and child care to support and empower caregivers to deal with stigma. Health care providers also may fears stigmatization in their work with HIV-positive patients. Caregivers, both formal and informal, commonly experience stigma from their association with HIV/aids and people living with it. This stigma may influence their willingness to work with those with HIV/AIDS or make their work more difficult. Conclusion Annually, across Australia and the world, many individuals get infected with HIV; thousands living with HIV develop AIDS. The impact of contracting and living with this virus hugely challenging and depends on the society the infected person lives in. The impact may determine the effectiveness of the management program, adherence to the treatment regimen and prevention of new infections. The major challenges are to encourage HIV testing for the risk groups, encourage status disclosure, availing a timely and effective management and care to all people living with HIV/AIDS, to endeavour in developing contemporary prevention methods that consider the variable patterns of the pandemic, and to eradicate the economic, physical and psychosocial impacts of HIV infection. Policies should incorporate the needs of individuals, families and the community in order to effectively address the impact of HIV on various sectors.