Stigma busters

Because of high levels of stigma and discrimination, people living with HIV (PLHIV) rarely participate openly in community-level political and social discussions that affect the implementation of program schemes and policies. Until now, the potential for Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs), India’s local governing bodies, to influence community perceptions and responses around HIV-related stigma had not been utilized. This project was successful in training and mobilizing Gram Panchayat (GP) members to lead stigma reduction efforts in five communities and to create a platform for ongoing dialogue between the Panchayat and PLHIV. This initiative was part of a larger effort to adapt and pilot test a global stigma reduction framework to the Indian context.

To read the Summary Report, click here. 

Other Case Studies in this Project

• Reducing Stigma to Improve Engagement in HIV Care among Men who Have Sex with Men 
• Gaurav: Reducing HIV-related stigma among female sex workers
• Protecting the Rights of People Living with HIV in the Workplace 
• Integrating a Youth-based Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Curriculum in Higher Education