Rights of HIV-positive people under review

A UN-sponsored meeting in Egypt has brought together experts from 14 Arab countries to review laws affecting the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS. According to UN officials, although AIDS was a bigger problem than was generally thought, many legal systems in the Arab world did not protect the rights of infected people. Erma Manoncourt, resident representative of the UN Children's Fund, told media in Egypt's capital, Cairo, that the problem needed an immediate review. "Addressing the legal issues of HIV/AIDS is key to mitigating the impact of this disease because, while our numbers remain lower than our neighbouring countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, stigma and discrimination are very damaging and present in our region," she said.