In a report by the Open Society Initiative for East Africa, activists are linking the spread of HIV in Africa to human rights and challenging Ugandan leaders to protect the rights of the sick, New Vision/AllAfrica.com (allafrica.com, 5/28).

The report says that HIV-positive and at-risk people face barriers to education, discrimination from medical providers, privacy violations and forced testing—all of which exacerbate the spread of HIV in Uganda. Activists are arguing that the government has stopped defending civil rights, deferring to nongovernment organizations, which often lack the necessary resources.

“As a global leader in HIV prevention and treatment, Uganda must set a better example on HIV and human rights,” says Binaifer Nowrojee, director of the Open Society Initiative.