African Conference Examines Rights of AIDS Sufferers

December 30 - A number of important judges from over a dozen sub-Saharan African countries met in this month to discuss their role in the fight against AIDS.

Held in South Africa, the conference was convened by the Joint United Nations Program and several other parties to bring into focus the legal response to HIV in Africa.

Some of the topics included examples of judgments involving the unlawful discrimination of HIV carriers in the medical insurance, employment and education fields.

"Across Africa, laws exist today that fuel discrimination, prevent effective national responses to HIV and violate human rights," said the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Michel Sidebe.

 "Countries must use their legal systems to protect people most vulnerable to HIV and ensure they have access to essential HIV services," he added.

It was found that in many cases, national law in Africa does not protect people at risk of HIV infection and those who have the disease.

Participants of the conference, where Michel Sidebe was keynote speaker, heard about the increase in criminalization of HIV transmission.

"Criminalization is radically incompatible with a public health strategy that seeks to encourage people to come forward to find out their HIV status," noted Judge Cameron, who sits on the Constitutional Court circuit in South Africa.