Namibia women sue over forced sterilisation

Windhoek, 01 June-(ANA)-Three women in Namibia are suing the state for allegedly being sterilised without their informed consent after being diagnosed as HIV positive.

The women say the doctors and nurses should have informed them properly about what was happening.

The rights group representing them, the Legal Assistance Centre, says it has documented 15 cases of alleged HIV sterilisation in hospitals since 2008.

A march in their support is taking place in Windhoek as the case begins.

The women want 1m Namibian dollars ($130,000, £90,000) in compensation from the health ministry, reports say..

The Legal Assistance Centre says the High Court has granted that women's identities should not be revealed as they fear "further discrimination and stigmatisation because of their HIV status". (ANA)

FA/ANA/01 June 2010-------