HIV-positive women (498) sterilised against their will
Her Rights Initiative organisation (HRI) says government must act to end forced sterilisation.
New research highlighting widespread forced sterilisation reinforces the importance of a formal complaint to South Africa’s Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) to end the human rights violation.
HRI was commenting on the Human Sciences Research Council’s (HSRC) research for the South African National AIDS Council, which found that almost 500 women were sterilised against their will.
“This highlights that this practice is widespread and it requires a systematic response from the health department,” says HRI director Sethembiso Mthembu.
“We must ensure that government is held accountable and take action to ensure that health workers do not continue this practice.”
In March, HRI and the International Community of Women of South Africa (ICWSA), as well as the Women’s Legal Centre, lodged a formal complaint with the CGE to protest against the ongoing forced sterilisation of women living with HIV in South Africa.
The complaint was based on information on the nature of forced or coerced sterilisation which was obtained from community work with women living with HIV.
A study was completed during 2011 and a media campaign undertaken during 2014.
Currently HRI, ICWSA and WLC have documented 48 cases in which women claim that they were forced or coerced into being sterilised simply because they were HIV-positive.
The latest research contained in the SANAC stigma index was compiled after 10 473 people living with HIV in 18 districts across the country were interviewed to determine the level of stigma and discrimination against them.
The report notes that most respondents (87 per cent) indicated that health care professionals never discouraged them from having children.
However, seven per cent of respondents (498) reported that they were forced to be sterilised.
A total of 498 of the 6 719 women in the sample said they had been forcibly sterilised because of their status.
Of these women, 19 per cent are from Gauteng.
“The impact of forced sterilisation cannot be underestimated; women face the dual stigma of being HIV-positive and being unable to bear children,” Mthembu said.
“We urge the department of health to take immediate action.”
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