'At the Hospital There are No Human Rights': Reproductive and Sexual Rights Violations of Women Living with HIV in Namibia

Abstract

This report documents the ongoing stigma and discrimination of women living with HIV in Namibia, building on prior findings and investigations on the subject, such as the 2008 research conducted by the International Community of Women Living with HIV/AIDS (ICW) and the Namibian Women's Health Network (NWHN). The report, based upon both desk research and a field mission, examines the human rights situation related to sexual and reproductive health of women living with HIV, including the gravity and ongoing nature of forced and coerced sterilizations in Namibia. The report also provides evidence of violations of informed consent in the context of HIV testing, breaches of patient confidentiality, and denial of information to HIV-positive patients. It further considers how persistent stereotypes and gender-based violence contribute to stigma and discrimination in this context. Finally, the report explores how all these issues are interrelated and mutually reinforce the prevention of equal treatment of women living with HIV in Namibia.