SA in sterilization mess

Cyril Ramaphosa, President, South Africa

The United Nations in South Africa notes with concern the findings of the investigation by the Commission for Gender Equality on forced and coerced sterilization in public hospitals in the Gauteng and Kwazulu Natal provinces.

The report details the horrific discrimination, mistreatment and human rights violations suffered by at least 48 women based on their HIV status, race and gender.

According to the UN Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, forced and/or coerced sterilisation is gross human rights and medical ethics violation and it is often described as an act of torture and cruelty, inhuman and degrading.

The UN welcomes the Department of Health’s decision to meet with the CGE to further discuss its full contents and recommendations.

Just sad.