The government of Ghana is introducing an anti-stigma provision in the new Ghana Aids Commission bill 2015 currently before Parliament.

According to the deputy Attorney-General, Dominic Ayine, the anti-stigma provision is expected to promote and protect the rights of persons living with HIV-AIDS in the country.

The deputy minister who is also the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga East Constituency disclosed this to Parliament when the bill came up for discussion.

He said one of the fundamental objectives of the bill is to introduce “sexual and reproductive health rights that will be enforced under chapter five of the Constitution specifically Article 33 clause 5 of the Constitution of the Republic.”

Article 33 clause 5 of the 1992 Constitution said “The rights, duties, declarations and guarantees relating to the fundamental human rights and freedoms specifically mentioned in this Chapter shall not be regarded as excluding others not specifically mentioned which are considered to be inherent in a democracy and intended to secure the freedom and dignity of man.”

He also revealed the bill will “establish the national HIV-AIDS fund as recommended in the 2013 National HIV-AIDS policy.”

Also on the floor of the House to speak on the new bill was the Employment and Labour Relations minister, Haruna Iddrisu.

He warned the enforcement of the provision on the right to employment captured in the bill will be difficult to achieve.

He explained, “It is not for nothing that in every employment situation the employer has a right to request an employee to undergo a medical examination.”

The satisfactory nature of the results, he disclosed is important for an informed decision about the employability or lack thereof of the potential employee.

He said the provision in the new bill which emphasises the enforcement of the right of HIV AIDS persons to employment will “pose a major employment decision difficulty” in the country.