Office of Overseas Programming & Training Support (OPATS) Stigma, Discrimination, and HIV Prevention HIV Prevention
Session Objectives Participants appreciate stigma and discrimination’s impact on HIV prevention. Participants use participatory approaches to address stigma and discrimination in their communities.
Stigma and Discrimination 1 Process of devaluation of people living with or associated with the disease Linked to power and domination in society Reinforces inequality whereby some groups are made to feel superior and others devalued When stigma is acted upon, the result is discrimination 1 UNAIDS. April HIV-Related Stigma, Discrimination and Human Rights Violations: Case Studies of Successful Programmes. Geneva: UNAIDS.
Types of Stigma Experienced/enacted stigma Anticipated/perceived/felt stigma Self or internal stigma Intersecting/layered stigma
Root Causes of Stigma & Discrimination Lack of knowledge/ignorance Moral judgment Power and poverty
Addressing Stigma with Immediate Action 1 Raise Awareness: Close the Intention-Action Gap – Foster understanding and motivation for stigma reduction Address Transmission Fears and Misconceptions – How it is and is not transmitted – Respond to specific fears related to daily living context Discuss and Challenge “Shame and Blame” – The values and beliefs that underlie stigma and discrimination: Where they come from? What they do? 1 Taken from Nyblade L What works for reducing stigma and discrimination: Programmes and tools for reducing stigma and discrimination, including human rights approaches. Presentation at International AIDS Society Conference Washington DC: IAS.
Creating Partnerships to Address Stigma 2 PLHA to lead stigma mitigating activities – Build capacity and resilience – Strengthen networks and associations – Address self-stigma Engage a range of actors – Opinion leaders – Media – Family members – Youth Foster interaction between stigmatizers and stigmatized Model desired behavior and reward role models 2 Ibid.