Over 45 legal activists who included judges, prosecutors, judicial police and advocates were on Tuesday awarded certificates after completing a two-day workshop on the rights HIV/AIDS victims.

The workshop was organized by the Forum for Activists against HIV/ AIDS Scourge (FAAS) with the support of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Speaking on behalf of her Minister, Permanent Secretary in the ministry of Justice, Esperance Nyirasafari, hailed FAAS for its innovative approach in improving the rights of the people living with HIV/AIDS.

"We congratulate FAAS and the UNDP for the great contribution towards empowering judicial institutions and promoting the rights of vulnerable women in general and people living with HIV/AIDS in particular,” said Nyirasafari at the close of the workshop.

The Minister urged participants to take the lead in the campaign aimed at availing justice to the vulnerable groups.

During the training, participants were acquainted with rights-based approaches in handling cases of people infected with HIV/AIDS and the need to protect them due to their status as a way of fighting the scourge.

According to FAAS officials, skills acquired by the trainees will be a lifelong asset that will extend to other judicial personnel hence sustaining the programme.

The training was facilitated by Professor Hansungule Michelo from the University of Pretoria and Tilly Seller from UNDP regional office in South Africa.

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