The Global Network of People Living with HIV (GNP+) proudly marks the 10th year anniversary of the Zero Discrimination Day, observed annually on March 1st. We note with concern however that on the eve of this day, our brothers and sisters in Ghana potentially face barriers to accessing HIV prevention and treatment interventions due to the unfavourable legal landscape set by the parliament’s decision to pass laws against LGBTQ persons.
Despite remarkable progress in raising awareness and education around HIV transmission and care, discrimination against all people living with HIV and particularly key populations persists. Men who have sex with men, transgender and gender diverse people, sex workers, and people who inject drugs, are disproportionately impacted by discriminatory laws and policies. They frequently face harassment, violence, and arrest simply due to their identities, further marginalising them and hindering their access to crucial HIV prevention and care services.
This discrimination manifests in various forms, including economic and social exclusion, denial of rights & healthcare access, workplace prejudice, and systemic inequalities. The steadfast rising of the anti-rights movement impacts the regress in laws as seen in countries like Uganda and Ghana and undermines our collective efforts in treatment access for all people living and prevention interventions for people most impacted by HIV. Discriminatory practices undermine our shared goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
GNP+ Global Partnership & HJWW Manager Daughtie Ogutu says, “Our progress towards reaching the goal on stigma and discrimination is inseparable from the eradication of discriminatory laws, policies, and practices that impede access to crucial HIV prevention, testing, treatment, and care. The global pushback against women’s rights, LGBTQ rights, and other fundamental freedoms not only undermines individual liberty but also jeopardizes public health especially for people living with and mostly affected with HIV.”
Established by UNAIDS 10 Years ago, Zero Discrimination Day serves as a powerful symbol of hope, advocating for the worldwide to end discrimination. Under the theme “Protect Everyone’s Health, Protect Everyone’s Rights,” we emphasise the fundamental rights inherent to everyone, regardless of health status, and the imperative to dismantle the stigma surrounding HIV.
GNP+ provides global leadership and advocates for improvements to the quality of life for all people living with HIV. We actively foster the participation and leadership of people living with HIV throughout the HIV response through our work on the Stigma Index and Global Partnership for Action to Eliminate all forms of HIV-related Stigma and Discrimination It is our mission to ensure that the voices of people living with HIV are central to decision-making and policy formation.
Data from the GNP+ PLHIV Stigma Index 2.0 Global Report 2023 shows the persistent barriers related to Stigma and Discrimination experienced by people living with HIV including key population living with HIV in the healthcare setting. The report covered 25 countries and 30,751 participants.
The Global Report revealed that, “Overall, 7.8% of respondents were ever forced to get tested for HIV or disclose their HIV status for one or more of five reasons, and 3.6% experienced this during the past 12 months of conducting the study. More specifically, 1333 respondents (4.7%) were forced to get tested for HIV or disclose their status to gain access to health care services, and 640 respondents (2.2%) experienced this within the last 12 months.”
“In addition, 1 in 8 (13.0%) faced HIV-related stigma and discrimination from staff working where they received their HIV care during the last 12 months. This was almost double (24.9%) when seeking care for non-HIV-related health needs, and even higher for transgender people (31.7%), sex workers (29.5%) and people who use drugs (27.8%).”
GNP+ is community-led and guided by the rights and realities of people living with HIV. We are inclusive, and we embrace and defend diversity. We recognise that the issues that affect us as people living with HIV in all our beautiful diversity often intersect with other aspects of our identities and our differing access to power and resources.
In solidarity with communities worldwide, we are vigorously ‘pushing back against the pushback,’ urging world leaders to honor their commitments to uphold the rights of all individuals. This entails the repealing of discriminatory laws and policies, the decriminalisation of HIV transmission, sex work, drug use, same-sex relations, and the guarantee of equitable access to healthcare services for all.
“Zero Discrimination Day is not just about words; it is about action. It embodies the principle that every person, irrespective of their HIV status, deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, and equality”, aptly states GNP+ Stigma Index Manager, Omar Syarif.
As we mark the 10th anniversary of Zero Discrimination Day on March 1st and throughout the month, we emphasise the vital importance of protecting everyone’s health by safeguarding everyone’s rights. It is a collective responsibility, and together, we can achieve an AIDS-free world founded on principles of equality and justice.
