PRESS RELEASE

30 November 1999

On 7 December 1999, DITSHWANELO- the Botswana Centre for Human Rights and the Botswana Business Coalition on AIDS will mark World AIDS Day with a one day conference on HIV/AIDS, the Law and Human Rights.

The importance of the link between Human Rights and HIV/AIDS is not to be underestimated. People infected with HIV continue to be stigmatised and fear discrimination in their places of work or at school.

Promotion of health and the protection of people’s basic human rights are two fundamental principles in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The law can both protect and harm the rights of people infected and affected.

How the lack of specific HIV/AIDS legislation impacts on society will be the focus of this conference.

The one day conference will address issues of importance to people with a keen interest in the latest developments in both the legal and health disciplines as far as HIV/AIDS is concerned.

Representatives of the Attorney General’s Chamber and the Botswana Industrial Court will discuss issues such as protection against involuntary pre-employment HIV testing. The approach of insurance companies to the HIV challenge will also be addressed.

Health professionals will debate the protection of nurses against HIV infection when caring for infected persons. Doctors will be enabled to debate the current dilemmas in treating their patients.

The conference would be incomplete without input from NGOs who deal with aspects of the epidemic that concern women’s rights, such as pregnancy and AZT as well as a presentation about the challenges of infected persons.

In Botswana no specific HIV/AIDS law does exist, the advantages and disadvantages of that fact will be debated by the participants in both panel and group discussions. The conference will be held at the Gaborone Sun Hotel. The official opening address will be delivered by the Honourable Minister of Health Ms J. Phumapi. The first session will start at 7.15 AM. During this first session a full breakfast will be served and you will be expected to contribute P 60,00 towards the cost of organising the conference and the meal. Admission will be free after 11.00 AM when the second session begins. In the afternoon, session three will start at 2 PM, the conference will be officially closed at 5.30 PM.