User:Cynthiausurua212055399/ HIV-positive women sterilized without consent in Namibia

HIV-positive women sterilized without consent in Namibia

Three women in the case, who were sterilized in Namibian state hospitals between 2005 and 2007, had dealt with health staff who could not speak their language, Oshiwambo. They were handed consent forms containing unintelligible acronyms. The forms were produced while the women were in labour, minutes before they were wheeled into the operating theater. In at least one case, the woman had been in labour for four days and was made to believe she would only be eligible for her cesarean if she signed the form. In all three cases, the women only realized the meaning of "BTL" – bilateral tubal ligation – after the surgery. The principle of equal liberty holds that each person has equal rights to the most extensive set of basic liberties that are compatible with the system of liberty for all. These plaintiffs were not given a chance to express their liberty.

I as women feel very bad I’ am trying to put myself in these women’s shoes trying to figure out terrible emotional and physical pain they are going through. Women have rights and these ladies had rights to decide what they wanted without being violated the way they were, I ‘m failing to understand the reports that the doctor explained the process of C-section and that they would be sterilized and would not be able to have children, and that they should agree to the procedure. The plaintiff alleges the doctor at Katutura state hospital told one of the victim this in English which was not clear to her as the plaintiffs mother tongue is Oshiwambo speaking this clearly shows that the plaintiffs did not understand anything that the doctor was saying in English as she testified in Oshiwambo in court, misrepresentation of fact The procedure was not translated to her in her mother tongue which made it difficult for her to understand. shows that only the government had the full knowledge of the nature of the agreement not the women. They could have been told about the option of sterilization after a month after delivery so that they sterilize with the full knowledge of the end result if they sign could give a voluntary consent to sterilize. To wait for someone to be in labor and propose the sterilization option amounts to duress, procedures were not followed because not all the parties had full knowledge of the nature of the agreement.

As the government they should know better when they do their jobs like in this case they can see that the ladies are oshiwambo speaking, they were to get an interpreter to help them explain the procedures to the ladies so they can know what will happen to them than and after the procedure of C-section. And to be explained that they will not be able to bare children in life again. There was no mentioning about “removing uterus or womb” on the form. The patient did not learn the meaning of sterialization until after the surgery.

This is their decision whether HIV positive or not it’s their moral right and the government did neither of this but they did what they felt was right for their interest. Their rights were violated because their individual rights were not protected and respected by the government because the plaintiffs can never bare children; there is formula that Kant’s says: never do something unless you are willing to have everyone do it. And never use people merely as means, but always respect and develop their ability to choose for themselves. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you and this can never be reversed their individual entitlement were taken away their right of woman hood and dignity. It’s their womb their rights.

If we have to go back to culture this is an abomination, traditional married men want to generate to the population and here in this case they were violated in a way that cannot be explained and reversed back. They have disrespected their four fathers and ant sisters the government will not answer to their tradition needs but they will be the once to pay the traditional circumstances.

All in all the principle of rights, justice and caring were violated.