A Saudi human rights group is urging HIV-positive people to report abuse by employers or members of the public as a result of their condition, press reports said Wednesday.
The National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) called on HIV carriers to register cases of unfair treatment, local English-language daily Arab News reported.
“The NSHR has listened to the experiences of HIV-positive persons in the Kingdom and how they suffer from neglect,” a spokesperson told the paper.
The NSHR has also proposed a new law to protect the rights of people with HIV as none currently exists.
Among the points proposed in the new law are establishing a national AIDS center to register cases and follow up on treatment; guaranteeing patient confidentiality and the right to travel abroad; informing school officials about HIV-positive minors; and guaranteeing the right to education, employment and participation in athletic, political or other social activities.
“We have sent some members of the (NSHR) board to meet with experts on HIV cases to gather their opinions and observations on the new law,” Mufleh Al-Kahtani, NSHR’s vice president, told Arab News.
An announcement is expected by March.
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