March 1, 2022
The International Community of Women Living with HIV Eastern Africa (ICWEA) joins the rest of the world to commemorate the 9th Zero Discrimination Day. We associate with the Global theme “Save lives: Decriminalize HIV! alluding to the fact that it is unacceptable to favor one human being over the other on any grounds such as gender, religion or health status among others. Equality for all persons is a constitutional right enriched in national constitutions of our governments (5 countries of East Africa). This right must not only be protected by the State but must also be promoted in State programing.
Throughout her programmes, ICWEA is conducting community led advocacy across the Eastern Africa Region. For years, the injustices resulting from stigma, and discrimination of people living with HIV and TB has always cut across. Also, while implementing Global Fund funded activities in Uganda, communities of people living with HIV have stressed that they still face discrimination at health facilities – caused by health care workers not withholding the stigma already being faced at different community statures.
“I am a person who lost my parents before I was 6 years old. I tested positive for HIV two years after my mother passed away. I started working as a maid in my uncle’s home…” narrated Sarah Najjemba (not real name) a resident of Bukwiri, Kyankwanzi district. She continued to say that all her parents’ property was sold off and yet the money did not even take her to school.
Najjemba explained that she remained behind the curtain as her remaining family waited for her to die adding that she was regarded as an outcast in her village. There are many people like Sarah, HIV related stigma and discrimination should be something of the past since the first case was reported and not a 41-year-old challenge! Women and girls living with HIV are not second-class citizens and must be given an equal opportunity with other people to be able to live meaningful and dignified lives.
Some of Eastern African countries have laws that are criminalizing or otherwise prosecuting HIV exposure, non-disclosure, or transmission. HIV criminalization deters people from accessing voluntary counseling and testing services and discourages them from knowing their HIV status and seeking appropriate care and support. This is pushing back the gains that our countries have attained over the 40 years of fighting to address HIV pandemic backward! HIV criminalization drives discrimination and structural inequalities. It robs people of the prospect of healthy and fulfilling lives.
Criminalizing laws that target people living with HIV violates their human rights, exacerbates the stigma people face, and put people in danger by creating barriers to the support and services they need to protect their health. And it holds back the end of AIDS by 2030.
“HIV related policies and programs can only be implemented efficiently if there is a community-centered approach to developing them. We as the service beneficiaries must be meaningfully involved in the process but not excluded” ICWEA Executive Director
While implementing the project code-named ‘Building self-Resilience among Adolescent Girls and Young Women (AGYW) who experience self-stigma project in Uganda and Burundi’, ICWEA conducted a baseline survey on HIV-related self-stigma HIV and its impact on access to HIV & Sexual Reproductive Health & Rights Services; 35% of the respondents said they have ever experienced some of form of discrimination, and 63% of the respondents took more than 3 months to overcome self-stigma. Furthermore, many AGYW living with HIV is hesitant to disclose their HIV status due to fear of negative outcomes such as discrimination, abandonment, and relationship dissolution among others.
Women and girls living with HIV must live a full and productive life and live it with dignity.
ICWEA calls for actions
- Governments should prioritize and accelerate the implementation of commitments made to end HIV-related stigma and discrimination by Member States, UN agencies, bilateral and international partners, NGOs, and communities as essential for ending AIDS and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
- Stakeholders and government should strengthen PLHIV networks, integrate service while providing health care, revise the ethical conduct of health workers, and empower women and girls living with HIV in all diversity to defend their dignity.
- Governments should repeal all law and policies that criminalize HIV in EA countries to end HIV by 2030
