Understanding and challenging HIV stigma: Toolkit for action (2007)

Source: Eldis (www.eldis.org)

Article: Understanding and challenging HIV stigma: Toolkit for action (2007)

*The following are excerpts from the aforementioned article:

Countering the stigma suffered by HIV positive children
Authors: S. Clay; C. Chiiya; M. Chonta; International HIV / AIDS Alliance
Publisher: Pact Tanzania, 2007
Full text of document

What is the impact of stigma on children? This toolkit aims to help explore and understand the different ways in which children are stigmatised, and to look at strategies to change attitudes and experiences. It provides guidance to help trainers plan educational sessions with community leaders, or to organise groups to raise awareness and promote practical action to challenge HIV stigma and discrimination.

Exercises for children and for adults are provided. These are based on a study in Zambia that found that:

* children may be blamed for their parents’ death; for being a burden; or in some countries orphans are seen as ‘unlucky children’ as if they ‘killed their parents’

* children may be excluded from school, families and communities because of fear of infection if there is HIV in their family

* orphans are often treated differently from other children in families, such as being given extra work, and are often accused of carrying on their parents’ ‘bad behaviour’

* street children are seen as ‘dirty’ and ‘out of control’.

Click here to be directed to Eldis site and the full text document/toolkit!

*Note the abovementioned excerpts are direct quotes from the article and thus all credit and references should be afforded to the authors/sources.