The heart of stigma project aims to assess stigma and discrimination experienced by people living with HIV (PLHIV) and key populations (KP) in Kenya. It is a part of IAS’s global “Getting to the Heart of Stigma” project.
Objectives
- Contextualise, triangulate, interrogate, validate, and enhance the evidence base in HIV-related stigma
- Assess demand and supply side of the stigma equation, changes in stigma and discrimination in health care personnel and changes in perceptions and experience of the health care system from those populations who may be victims of stigma and discrimination
- Review current legal and policy situations and examine how stigma is addressed in governmental agencies such as the police, other uniformed services, the legal system, schools and universities, etc. who interact with stigmatised populations.
Project Initiated 2021
This study which began in March 2021 will be conducted through a) review of stigma literature in Kenya, b) interviews with policy makers, health care workers and members of the PLHIV and KP communities. The study has already produced some preliminary findings, which were reported at the National Maisha Conference in May, organised by the National AIDS Commission (NACC).
The findings are as below
- There aren’t enough interventions in Kenya that could provide an empirical measurement of success, so it is not possible to identify “critical success factors”.
- Most literature and qualitative interviewees expressed their preference for service seeking options and community led initiatives wherein lay health care workers, and peer educators would provide support and help with navigating the system.
- The success in reducing stigma is largely based on the government support provided for the programmes and other supportive policies which act as a deterrent, allowing interventions to take place.
Some factors that impede include:
- Low investment of resources in Interventions addressing stigma.
- Slow implementation of laws and policies.
- Subtle forms of discrimination which are difficult to identify and hence challenging to intervene.
Partnerships
PHDA is partnering with HOYMAS on this project with funding support from the International AIDS Society (IAS).