Legal Assistance Centre-Namibia

KEY CASES - AIDS LAW UNIT (ALU)

Read about Kaalina, an HIV positive mother who is fighting to regain the home she was kicked out of.

FORCED STERILISATION CASES BEING INVESTIGATED
The Legal Assistance Centre is currently investigating claims of four women who are HIV-posivitive and were sterilised without their consent at state hospitals.

EMPLOYEES TESTED FOR HIV WITHOUT THEIR CONSENT
Currently before the courts, the LAC is defending 22 employees of a lodge in northern Namibia who were tested for HIV without giving their informed consent. While the case is pending, the LAC is arguing that the business voilated the employees right to privacy and right to dignity.

PRISONER HIV STATUS DISCLOSED
During February 2006, the nurse at a hospital disclosed the client’s HIV positive status without his consent in the presence of the prison officer who accompanied the client to the consultation. The client specifically requested the prison officer to excuse them, but he refused and the nurse continued with the disclosure. The rights implicated in this case are his common law personality rights, the rights to privacy and dignity in terms of articles 8 and 13 of the Namibian Constitution.

RIGHT TO PRIVACY, DIGNITY VIOLATED
Our client's work supervisor disclosed her HIV positive status to her coworkers without the client’s consent. We have drafted a letter of demand thus far. The rights implicated in this case are the right to privacy and the right to dignity.

Read about other cases the LAC is currently pursuing.