Catholic Information Service for Africa (Nairobi)
7 July 2009
New York — The provision for compulsory HIV testing and sterilization of the disabled in the Reproductive Health Bill violates human rights, Human Rights Watch has told Rwandan government.
"The Rwandan Parliament should remove provisions in a draft law that would mandate compulsory HIV testing and require the sterilization of all individuals with intellectual disabilities," HRW said in a statement.
The organization said that the provisions are deeply flawed and violate the government's obligations to uphold and protect human rights.
"Compulsory HIV testing and forced sterilization are counterproductive to the Rwandan government's goal of improved reproductive health," said Joe Amon, Health and Human Rights director at HRW.
"Provisions in the current bill that increase stigma, rely on coercion, and deny individuals their reproductive rights should be removed," Amon said.
The reproductive health bill, drafted by the parliamentary committee whose duties include promoting social welfare, contains three particularly troublesome provisions related to HIV/AIDS testing, HRW noted.
"First it provides that all individuals who plan to marry must undergo HIV testing and provide a certificate beforehand. Second, married individuals are required to be tested for HIV/AIDS upon the request of their spouses. Third, if a physician finds it "necessary" for a child or an incapacitated person to be tested for HIV/AIDS, he or she may conduct the test without seeking consent and may show the result to the parent, guardian, or care provider."
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2009 Catholic Information Service for Africa. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
