Human Rights And Legal Needs Of Adults Living With Hiv/Aids In Jos North Central Nigeria

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue XII, December 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Human Rights And Legal Needs Of Adults Living With Hiv/Aids In Jos North Central Nigeria

 _{Ewu, GA¹, Nwankwo BB^2
1. Department of Community Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada
^2. Department of Community Medicine, University of Abuja, Abuja}

Abstract
Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world and with it, a growing list of HIV related human rights and legal needs.
This hospital based descriptive cross sectional study was carried out to assess the human right and legal needs of adult people living with HIV/AIDS in Jos North Central Nigeria.
A total of 390 respondents 62% of which are females were interviewed. The mean age was 33.4 + 7.7 years. About 50% were diagnosed at least a year before the study and 78.8% have at least secondary school education. Stigma and discrimination was reported in the workplace (13.6%) and family (8.5%) resulting in sack (5.1%) and separation from spouse (1.5%). Over 89% do not have a written will and about 35% are not aware they cannot be sacked on the basis of their HIV status. About 40% reported that they need legal advice/services while over 19% desire to participate in HIV related service delivery. The need for legal services was more among those with at least secondary school education (44.25%).
HIV/AIDS related human rights and legal needs exist in various settings. Services are therefore needed that address these needs in health facilities, in communities and in the work places.
Key words: HIV/AIDS, Human rights, legal needs, Nigeria. stigma

INTRODUCTION

Nigeria has the second largest HIV epidemic in the world with about 3.6million people infected and adult HIV prevalence of 2.8% as at 2017. (1)
Although HIV prevalence among adults is much less (2.8%) than other sub-Saharan African countries such as South Africa (18.8%) and Zambia (11.5%), the size of Nigeria’s population means it has the second highest HIV burden in the world. However, a recently published Nigeria HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), one of the largest population-based HIV/AIDS household surveys ever conducted, found the prevalence to be just 1.4%. (2).

PLWHA and their families have a wide variety of problems which manifest in various degrees in the community, workplace, and health setting. This has given rise to a broad range of needs which require comprehensive care and support services. The needs include medical, psychosocial, socioeconomic and human rights/legal needs.
Human rights are broadly concerned with defining the relationship between individuals and the state. It refers to a set of universal entitlements that individuals enjoy irrespective of their sex, nationality, religion, culture or other status, that are inherent to human beings and that are proclaimed and protected by international law. Human rights have major relevance for shaping appropriate responses to the HIV epidemic and other global health challenges. (3). The concept of human rights is grounded in concepts of human dignity and equality, which can be found in most cultures, religions, and traditions that are today reflected in many legal systems. PLHAs have the same fundamental social, cultural, civil, and political human rights as any other person by virtue of their humanity. These rights are universal, indivisible, interdependent, and interrelated.
HIV-related human rights issues including stigma and discrimination; punitive laws, policies and practices; and poor access to justice have been identified by most countries as obstacles to achieving universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support.
(4).

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