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CJ: Avoid violation of human rights to help arrest HIV/Aids
2008-05-16 09:46:59
By Correspondent Michael Haonga
Violation of human rights has been cited as one of the factors that cause Hiv/Aids. It is against that backdrop that the Chief Justice, Augustino Ramadhani, has challenged legal practitioners to defend human rights.
Chief Justice Ramadhan made the remarks when opening a workshop for judges on, `Decent work for persons with Hiv/Aids`, held in Dar es Salaam yesterday.
``It has taken much time to realize that Hiv/Aids is not only a medical issue but also a human rights issue. Human rights violations are both results and causes of the scourge,`` he said
CJ told judges and other participants from eight African countries that there was need for members of the judiciary to ensure provision of decent work for persons with Hiv/Aids and with disabilities is interpreted through a human right-based approach.
He said under the approach, individuals and their groups are referred to as `rights-holders` while the state and non-state actors are `duty-bearers`.
``Our function on interpretation is crucial, but where we cannot make favourable interpretation, we are duty bound to give comments and make observations to the powers for essential steps.`` he said.
He said for such approach to function, strategies must be in place for empowerment of `rights-holders` with knowledge, capacities and resources to ensure realization of their rights.``
In his remarks at the opening function of the workshop, the ILO Office Director for Kenya, Uganda, Somalia and Tanzania, Jurgen Schwettmann said workplace discrimination could not be overcome by laws alone, adding that changes in behaviour and a genuine commitment to decent work were vital.
He said: ``Thousands of workers face discrimination at their workplaces based on their disability-real or perceived HIV status every day``.
The participants to the event are from Ethiopia, Zambia, Lesotho, South Africa, Malawi, Kenya, Uganda and host Tanzania.
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