Experts at the ongoing two-day workshop for Persons Living With Human Immune Deficiency Virus (PLWHIV) and people most at risk of contracting it are pushing for legal rights and legal awareness for such persons, on how to stand up for their rights.
The 60 participants drawn from different parts of Nigeria will receive information and hold discussions on the most common forms of violations of their rights and how the Nigerian Constitution and existing laws address them.
In addition, participants will also receive information on how to utilise free legal services offered through the Coalition of Lawyers for Human Rights (CoLaHR).
A statement from Charles-Martin Jjuuko, communications and global outreach officer for Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), noted that the workshop was organised by UNAIDS in collaboration with Lawyers Alert, Heartland Alliance, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) and the National Human Rights Commission.
The CoLaHR is a network of 32 human rights lawyers based in 17 states across Nigeria. CoLaHR was set up in February 2015, under the initiative of UNAIDS, to provide free legal advice and representation on human rights issues to people living with or most at risk of contracting HIV.
“This gathering is important as it brings lawyers offering free legal services in direct contact with people left behind, which is the community they serve. At the end of the meeting, trust and confidence built between the two constituencies will lead to improved services and access to justice for people left behind,” Rommy Mom, president, Lawyers Alert, stated in support of the initiative, according to the statement.
“UNAIDS is adhering to the principles of a human rights-based approach to ending the AIDS epidemic. People can only access services when their rights are upheld and dignity respected,” Bilali Camara, UNAIDS country director for Nigeria and the UNAIDS Focal Point for the Economic Community of West African States, said in the statement.
Harrison Edeh
