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The enactment of the Anti-Stigmatization Bill in Nigeria is something that the whole community of People Living With HIV/AIDS (PLWHA), people affected by HIV/AIDS and other relevant stakeholders have looked forward to. It’s gone back and forth in the National Assembly, been reviewed a number of times, edited and scrutinized in great detail. Again, it has been brought to the table for review. But, is it going to be passed this time, or is it just a ploy to raise hopes? Even if it is enacted, will it give power to the marginalized, the people at the grass-roots level?
On the 24th of November, the Joint Committee on HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control, and Human Rights conducted a public hearing on the Anti-Stigmatization Bill at the National Assembly, which the Youth Advocates Group was privileged to attend. We were the only youth group represented at the hearing and we also had the opportunity to present a memorandum on young people’s position.
There were actually two bills merged into one and based on that, we were able to identify some things that didn’t look quite right. The bill placed so much emphasis and focus on Stigmatization in the Workplace. However, the highest percentage of people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS are young people who are unemployed. Shouldn’t we be looking at stigmatization in educational institutions? In Nigeria, some young people have been denied admission because of their HIV status. In fact, in some universities, showing your HIV test results is a prerequisite for gaining admission.
Young people are highly at risk and I believe they should be protected. Imagine the pain of being told you can’t study in university because you are HIV positive. It is heart-breaking. Being positive doesn’t reduce an individual’s capacity or ability to excel academically, yet these are standards some educational institutions have set. Meanwhile, the National University Commission (NUC) presented a memo saying that they have placed a law against the act of denying students admission if they are HIV positive, but do they monitor these universities? If the NUC isn’t in the universities to make sure these things don’t happen, then they might as well not exist.
In as much as the Anti-Stigmatization bill is a legal document that should meet the needs of every individual in any social organization irrespective of class, status, age or social role, I believe there should be more emphasis on youths.
On the other hand, what are the possibilities that if this bill is passed into law, the average Nigerian or the common man will be able to enjoy its benefits? Most people, especially at the grass roots level, don’t even have a clue of what is happening; illiteracy is a major challenge. How do we make sure these people are protected by the law?
In my own opinion, even when the bill is passed, there is still so much that still needs to be done. The fight against stigmatization in Nigeria is not necessarily in the passing of the bill rather than in its ability to reach and protect those who are truly vulnerable.
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Fighting Stigma is so important. Thank you so much for posting about this information about stigma in Nigeria especially about university, I still can not believe that they would not admit people because of HIV status. How sad.
# Posted By 
vanessaaishacoleman
| 12/7/09 05:45 PM
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vanessaaishacoleman
| 12/7/09 05:45 PM
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