Often times, people discriminate against and stigmatize Persons Living with HIV (PLHIV). This is due to lack knowledge about the disease, fear of being infected and the fact that HIV is incurable. The purpose of this session is to educate parents on the need to respect and support persons living with HIV and AIDS.
Session Objectives: By the end of the session, the parent will be able to:
1. Give reasons why people stigmatize against persons living with HIV and AIDS. 2. Identify ways individuals stigmatize and discriminate against PLHIV
3. Explain the effects of stigma and discrimination on PLHIV.
4. Suggest ways of minimizing stigma and discrimination against PLHIV. 5. Explore ways of caring for PLHIV in the community.
Topic: People Living With HIV (PLHIV) Duration:30 minutes
Materials: Pictures, charts, films, written stories and cases. Preparation: Invite resource person preferably a parent or PLHIV. Procedure:
Step 1: Use the following cases to discuss ways of minimising HIV and AIDS stigma and discrimination:
i) If you find out that your co-tenant is HIV positive. What would you do?
ii) You are the head of a school and hears one of your staff is HIV positive. What would you do?
iii) Would you like to sit near an HIV positive person? Why?
iv) Your firm is conducting interviews to employ new staff. One of the candidates discloses his/her HIV status. What would you do?
v) What are some ways of caring for people living with AIDS in your community? Step 3: Read the story of “my husband Ntim” on ways of caring and supporting people living with AIDS and their families for parents to discuss.
The Story of My Husband Ntim
My husband, Ntim was diagnosed with HIV infection two years ago. Most of the time he is healthy, but sometimes he gets sick. He goes to the doctor for routine check-ups and he’s been put on Antiretroviral Therapy (ART). I have to make sure he eats healthy food and takes his medication regularly. My co-tenants know that my
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husband is HIV-positive. They encourage me to be strong and also help me not to worry.
Sometimes Ntim gets very sick and coughs a lot. I get frightened and our children get frightened too. We however support him in such situations and provide him with the necessary care; that is getting him water to bath, lifting him up from bed to eat, washing his clothes and many others. Our children share jokes to make their father happy. The Doctor tells me that my husband Ntim is doing well on the treatment and his condition will get better. The children and I are happy for each day we have with Ntim.
Step 4: Discuss the story using the following questions: a. What lessons have you learnt from this story?
b. What would you do when your family member is HIV positive? c. What are you going to do as a parent to:
(i.) minimize stigma and discrimination against PLHIV? (ii.) care and support PLHIV?
Step 5: Summary/Conclusion
End the session with the following key points
a. If we ill-treat someone on the basis of his/her HIV status, we are stigmatizing or discriminating against such a person.
b. Many people shun the company of PLHIV because they think that PLHIVs have led immoral life or are being punished for sins committed.
c. When we refuse to shake hands with someone because he/she is HIV positive, we are stigmatizing them.
d. When we stigmatize and discriminate against PLHIV, we make them feel that they are not welcome. Some may feel lonely, unable to concentrate on their work or studies, and sometimes they would want to take their lives or infect other people.
FACILITATOR’S NOTES Persons Living with HIV Infection
They are individuals infected with HIV. It takes only a test to determine ones HIV status.
Stigma and Discrimination on HIV
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Why do People Stigmatize and Discriminate?Fear of infection coupled with negative, value-based assumptions about people who are infected leads to high levels of stigma surrounding HIV and AIDS.
Factors that contribute to HIV and AIDS-related stigma include:
HIV infection is associated with behaviours (such as homosexuality, drug addiction, prostitution or promiscuity) that are already stigmatized in many societies.
Inaccurate information about the nature, causes, treatment etc. fuels irrational behaviour and misperceptions of personal risk.
HIV infection is often thought to be the result of sins committed or spiritual factors. How do People stigmatize and discriminate against Persons Living with HIV (PLs): It is stigmatizing or discriminatory when:
We avoid shaking hands with PLWH
We avoid eating from the same bowl with PLWH.
We avoid looking at PLWH in the face when communicating with them
PLWH are shunned by family, peers and the wider community.
PLWH are given poor treatment in healthcare, education etc. Self-Stigma (Internal Stigma)
Self-stigma refers to how a PLHIV sees public perception of him/her. Stigmatizing beliefs and actions may be imposed by PLHIV e.g. he/she may say: "people are pointing fingers or talking about me because they suspect I have HIV"
Effects of Stigma and Discrimination
Some consequences when we stigmatize and discriminate against PLHIVs :
Loss of income/livelihood
Loss of marriage & childbearing options
Poor care within the health sector
Failure of HIV testing and treatment interventions
Withdrawal of care-giving in the home
Loss of hope & feelings of worthlessness
Loss of reputation
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Caring and supporting people living with HIV and AIDS and their family Show them love and affection.
Respect PLHIV - they have the ability to contribute to national development Recognize that PLHIV have rights to
enjoy, love, respect, care and support. Support them to seek medical treatment
Support them practice safer sex. Direct PLHIV to support groups
for continuous care