Namibia: Women robbed of motherhood

Some young women have, unknowingly and forcibly, been sterilised because of their HIV status, New Era has learnt. At a workshop in Windhoek last month, which brought together 30 young women living with HIV, three participants from the Khomas, Karas and Oshikoto regions said they were forcibly sterilised. New Era spoke to two of the women who chose to remain anonymous for fear of stigmatisation. A 25-year-old Khomas woman was sterilised without her consent on October 15, 2003 at Windhoek Central Hospital after giving birth by Caesarian section.