18 September 2013, Banjul, The Gambia - The Secretariat of the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights wishes to inform the general public that the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission), through its subsidiary mechanism, namely the Committee for the Protection of the Rights of People Living with HIV and Those At Risk (PLHIV), Vulnerable to and Affected by HIV in Africa, will be organising a Regional Seminar on ‘Key Human Rights Issues Affecting Women Living With HIV in Africa’ , from 3 – 5 October, 2013, in Dakar, Senegal.
The Seminar will be attended by various stakeholders from across Africa, including: the members of the African Commission; experts from the Committee on PLHIV; government representatives; national human rights institutions; national AIDS commissions; women’s groups; organisations working with PLHIV; and women living with HIV.
The objectives of the Seminar are to:
- To provide space for various national and regional stakeholders in Africa including government representatives, national human rights institutions, national AIDS commissions, human rights associations, organisations working with PLHIV, women’s groups and women living with HIV, to understand and discuss key human rights issues that affect women living with HIV in the context of access to health care in Africa, with a particular focus on issues such as involuntary sterilisation, violation of confidentiality, lack of information on treatment and/or denial of treatment;
- To bring increased attention on the part of African governments and national officials to these issues as critical human rights violations in the context of HIV;
- To review and discuss existing responses, including best practices, for addressing these challenges at country level; and
- To create the momentum for the Committee on PLHIV to take these issues forward including by formulating/putting in place a drafting committee that will formulate a potent Resolution that would be useful for advocacy and litigation on the violations of women’s rights in the context of HIV, to be presented for adoption by the NGOs forum and subsequently the Commission, at its 54th or 55th Ordinary Session.
After the three-day Seminar, participants are expected, amongst others to: have greater awareness of the legal and institutional frameworks of the African Commission for the protection of women living with HIV; have broader knowledge of the key human rights issues affecting HIV positive women in the context of access to health care in Africa; and gain momentum and increased commitment to monitor and address the identified human rights issues.
For further information, please contact:
Attention: Abiola Idowu-Ojo
Secretariat, African Commission
31 Bijilo Annex Layout, Kombo North District
Western Region.
PO Box 673
Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: 220 4410505/6
Fax: 220 4410504
E-mail: au-banjul@africa-union.org
