A.I.D.S. ‘biggest Challenge Yet To Human Rights... (Press, 5 October 1987)

Professor Margaret Somerville from McGill University addressed delegates at the Law Conference in Christchurch on 5 October 1987, stating that A.I.D.S. represents a significant challenge to human rights law. Somerville emphasised the need for lawyers to respond thoughtfully to the A.I.D.S. crisis rather than react impulsively. She cautioned against laws aimed at holding irresponsible individuals accountable, warning that such laws could unintentionally stigmatise and alienate responsible individuals, thereby undermining their rights. She expressed hope for a willingness to embrace some level of risk in order to safeguard human rights. Mr. Paul East, the Opposition spokesperson on justice, highlighted the political pressures to take action against A.I.D.S., regardless of the effectiveness of such measures. He argued that, since A.I.D.S. is primarily transmitted through sexual activity and intravenous drug use, it is crucial for the Government to promote behavioural change in these high-risk sectors. East drew a parallel between public health campaigns for lung cancer, which encourage individuals to quit smoking, and the need to advise people to limit their sexual partners to combat A.I.D.S. East also took issue with the Justice Minister, Mr. Palmer, for not allowing condoms to be accessible to prison inmates, asserting that it is essential to acknowledge that homosexual activity occurs in prisons. He warned that allowing A.I.D.S. to develop in prisons poses a risk to the wider community once inmates are released. Dr. Charles Farthing, an A.I.D.S. clinic director at St Stephen’s Hospital in London, spoke on the moral obligation of society to prevent the spread of A.I.D.S. He asserted that educational efforts should start at puberty, with comprehensive discussions about sex and associated risks. Farthing argued for the widespread availability and advertising of condoms, advocating for a more compassionate societal approach towards those affected by A.I.D.S. He strongly stated that condemning those with sexually transmitted diseases as ‘sinners’ is misplaced, asserting instead that those who lack compassion for A.I.D.S. sufferers are the greater sinners. Overall, discussions from the Christchurch conference centred on the balance between public health measures and the protection of individual rights, the necessity for effective communication of risks, and the importance of compassion in addressing the A.I.D.S. epidemic.

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