Forced Sterilization For HIV-Positive Women

Many women are forcibly sterilized in South Africa and other parts of the continent when it is found out they are HIV-positive.

This might be done by coercion or even without their consent. One woman quoted in this article only found out she had been sterilized when she and her husband were unable to conceive. The doctors had done it without her consent when she was under sedation when she was in hospital giving birth to her first child. Yes, she had signed a form, but she did not realize what it was she was signing.

Some of these woman are taking their cases to court and are hoping for an apology. But a lot more of the women aren’t coming forward because they either don’t know it has been done or don’t want the added stigma of being infertile.

In a world where ignorance and misunderstand about HIV is abundant it’s no wonder this has happened. But medication is available to stop the transmission of HIV between mother and child, so there is no reason why these women’s human rights should continue to be violated.