The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
LOCAL health and policy advocacy organisation, Health Law and Policy Consortium (HLPC), in partnership with the National Aids Council (NAC) and AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA), has launched a media toolkit on the decriminalisation of section 79 of the Criminal Code.
The launch took place in Harare on Wednesday.
The media toolkit seeks to help health journalists and advocates to understand HIV criminalisation in Zimbabwe.
HLPC projects coordinator, Ms Dorcas Chitiyo, said media and advocates are key stakeholders in promoting public health goals and the advancement of rights and freedoms of those infected and affected by HIV.
“The media should highlight the problem with criminalising HIV, HIV transmission and make society aware of the drawbacks of such overboard pieces of legislation,” she said.
HIV criminalisation is the unjust application of the laws against people living with HIV on the sole basis of their HIV status.
Zimbabwe is on the verge of decriminalising HIV transmission through the Marriages Bill Section 53(2).
