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The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) says it has finally met with all the stakeholders in the matter involving the forced sterilisation of HIV positive women in South Africa.
In February, the Commission issued a report on how 48 HIV positive women were forced to sign consent forms under the guise that they were approving a caesarean section, when instead the nurses and doctors would sterilise them.
This allegedly took place in 15 public health facilities in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng.
Commission for Gender Equality wants action against forceful sterilisation:
The Health Department, the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and the South African Nursing Council were required to account for their members’ actions and respond to the CGE within three months.
However, the Health Department had failed to meet the deadline even after requesting an extension, until only last week.
Spokesperson for the Commission for Gender Equality, Javu Baloyi, says it is unconstitutional for women to be forcefully sterilised in South Africa.
“This week, the victims of coerced sterilisation met with their legal team led by Advocate Dali Mpofu and Advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi and announced that they are taking the matter to court. They described this issue as unconstitutional, inexplicable and outrageous for women to be forcefully sterilised in South Africa for being HIV positive.”
“On Friday last week, the Department of Health represented by its new DG promised to submit all the information on Friday. They duly did that. Almost all the recommendations are being implemented and the commission is monitoring the progress thereof,” says Baloyi.
Forced sterilisation of HIV positive women under the spotlight:
