The account of a Muslim woman in North Eastern lamenting that they face high chances of being discriminated, stigmatized and divorced by their men due to their HIV/Aids status, was regretful, unfortunate and damning.
On this day and age, discriminating or stigmatizing against a person with HIV/Aids virus is tantamount to taking us back to the 1980s when humanity was struck by the menace and left naïve and gullible to the infection.
Right now, the country has made a tremendous technological advancement and comprehensive medical research is ongoing not only in Kenya but in the world as well to find a cure for HIV/Aids virus.
The HIV/Aids menace is in our midst; hence, it should behoove us to embrace our wives, husbands, children, daughters, sons, grandparents and any one in the society who has fallen victim to this worldwide scourge. There is a need to give them hope, from time to time, visit voluntary counseling and testing centers on how to manage their status and following prescription on how to take the anti-retroviral drugs.
The coming forward by this lady in media, is a hallmark of frustration and mental torture that women in the Northeastern region of Kenya are quiescently undergoing as a result of their male attitude on the HIV/Aids status in a given household; and a larger society.
There can be no doubt that women and their children are suffering for being victims. From this, it follows that to an extent that men seek divorce at the Kadhis Court all is not well in households, hence there is need to stop by an intervention measure of counseling.
Legal framework on HIV/Aids in Kenya outlines some of human rights principles on persons with HIV/Aids virus as follows:-
- Victim has a right to non-discrimination and equal protection and equality before the law.
- Negative discrimination against persons infected or affected by HIV/Aids is not allowable.
- Stigmatization of people with Aids is equally unlawful and objectionable.
- Basic rights including right to work , have right to marry and to find a family, right to equal access to education, right to adequate standard of living , right to social security, assistance and welfare.
Therefore, any person who is in his sound mind deliberately violates these human right principles is guilt before the law. Men in Northeastern region need to know that their partners in marriage did not choose either to be victims or manufacturers of HIV/virus or full-blown Aids.
HIV/Aids virus comes because of conjugal right, an effective transmission route and not myth. In brief, HIV virus transmitted from one person to another through human body fluids that contain HIV infected cells such as blood, semen, vaginal secretions or breast milk.
Some men are going against the grain in Northeastern part of Kenya by forcing their legally married wives to suckle the young ones disregarding their medical status and prescribed rules to be followed regarding breast-feeding. As it is, forceful breast-feeding increases vulnerability of mother and child to infection.
As the world marked the 36th anniversary since HIV/Aids discovery, Kenyans and the world at large remembered their loved ones who perished because of the scourge. However, we are celebrating the strides made in managing this condition that among others include discovery and availability of cheap anti-retroviral drugs, challenges the humanity faces consistent visits to VCT and finding a long lasting cure.
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I would fault any Kadhi who okay a divorce because of HIV/Aids stigmatization and discrimination.
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