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Disclosure a no-go - AIDS lawyer

    JOHANNESBURG
    Namibia's AIDS Law Unit on Friday said disclosure of a person's HIV status, before or after death, could "open up a Pandora's box of potential legal problems". The ruling SWAPO party this week proposed that the global norm of "non-disclosure" should be relaxed when it comes to HIV/AIDS. "Disclosure of a person's HIV status goes against Article 13 of the Constitution and soon to exist government HIV/AIDS policy," AIDS Law Unit lawyer, Tenu Avafia, told the UN news service PlusNews. Avafia said disclosure would expose people living with HIV/AIDS to the stigma and prejudices associated with the disease. Meanwhile, a Congress of Democrats member, Linus Chata has slammed the government for taking a "limp-wristed" approach in tackling the pandemic.

    This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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