The Executive Director, Initiative for Grassroot Advancement in Nigeria, (INGRA), Hamza Aliyu has appealed to Kogi State Governor Alhaji Ahmed Ododo to accent to the HIV Anti-Stigma Bill passed by the Kogi State House of Assembly to ensure the rights of the over three hundred thousand people living with HIV/AIDS in the state.
He made the appeal on Thursday at a one-day media roundtable for advancing the HIV stigma bill and addressing issues around stigma reduction.
He explained that the objective of the bill when accented to by the Governor, would prevent new infections and would also help to prevent stigmatisation.
Mr Aliyu also explained that the broad-based law protects the rights and dignity of HIV-affected persons and eliminates all forms of discrimination.
According to him, the law creates a supportive environment for people living with HIV and AIDs as well as creates a safe working environment for affected persons.
Mr Aliyu who maintained that the law also gives an employer the right to take affirmative action on requirements for a job noted that It also provided a penalty for non-compliance with the law.
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