HRC Hosts Open Forum on HIV and AIDS and Human Rights

Posted Oct 28, 2009

On July 29, HRC held an Open Forum on HIV and AIDS and human rights at Alliance Francaise in Lusaka for stakeholders to discuss ‘less talked about’ issues on HIV transmission among the vulnerable groups and the criminalization of HIV transmission in Zambia.

It [Open Forum] simply seeks to create an environment where we inquire from the discussants ‘what the issues are’ and ‘whether there are indeed human rights issues to respond to or address within the framework of the law’,” said HRC Vice Chairperson, Mr. Palan Mulonda, when welcoming participants at the Forum.

About 50 people were in attendance at the Forum and listened to expert views on the issues under discussion.

The discussants were drawn from the Human Rights Commission, Law Association of Zambia, Prisons Care and Counselling Association (PRISCCA), Zambia AIDSLaw Research and Advocacy Network (ZARAN), Treatment Advocacy Literacy Campaign (TALC), and UNAIDS.