Africa-Press – South-Africa. The Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) is having “sensitive discussions” on forced sterilisations, two years after the release of a report into the issue in South Africa.
It was unable to divulge any details about the discussions, but assured News24 that feedback would be provided once a progress report was received.
This comes after News24 asked the CGE about the progress of the implementation of the recommendations in the report, which was released in February 2020.
News24 also questioned the body on whether any health practitioners were held accountable and whether victims were afforded sufficient redress.
The CGE, however, could not provide any answers, saying that the “discussions have not yet been concluded”.
“We are having very sensitive discussions with the national Department of Health (NDOH), the women and their respective legal representatives as per the recommendations of the CGE report,” CGE spokesperson Javu Baloyi told News24 on Monday afternoon.
“These discussions have not yet been concluded. As such, the CGE is unfortunately not able to comment on various issues at this stage.
“Once a formal progress report is received, the NDOH, CGE, and legal representatives will discuss and provide a way forward on the matter,” Baloyi added.
‘Cruel, torturous and degrading’ – Commission on forced sterilisation HIV+ women
Two years ago, the Chapter 9 body released the said report, in which it was found that the practice of forced or coerced sterilisation for women living with HIV in South Africa’s public hospitals was “cruel, torturous or inhuman and degrading treatment”.
This was after the Chapter 9 institution received a complaint on March 20, 2015, from the Women’s Legal Centre on behalf of Her Rights Initiative and the International Community of Women living with HIV.
The commission sampled 15 hospitals in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng, where most complaints were lodged.
These included Tambo Memorial Hospital in Boksburg, Tembisa Hospital, Edenvale Hospital, Prince Mshiyeni Hospital in Umlazi, Addington Hospital in Durban and General Justice Gizenga Mpanza Regional Hospital (formerly Stanger Hospital) in Durban.
In the report, several recommendations were made, including petitions to the South African Law Reform Commission for amendments to legislation that ensured consent was properly obtained.
It also recommended that when a woman agrees to sterilisation, she “must be given a ‘cooling off’ period in order to fully appreciate the risks and consequences of their sterilisation procedure,” News24 reported.
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