What rights do women living with HIV have under the law?
All protected persons1 have certain rights under the law: the right to non-discrimination, confidentiality, privacy, informed consent, and residence in a shared household.
In addition to these, women living with HIV have the following specific rights:
- Receive government-provided counselling and information on HIV treatment and pregnancy outcomes,
- Refuse sterilisation or abortion, which cannot be performed without informed consent, and
- Protection from partner notification or duty-to-disclose obligations where disclosure could lead to violence or harm.
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Notes
1
A protected person includes people who are HIV-positive, people currently or previously living with an HIV-positive person, and those who have lost a partner or guardian to AIDS.