HIV and AIDS related stigma reduction ‘Socialisation

Matters’By Ngonidzashe Edward & Time Baluwa

Jesuit AIDS Project

Zimbabwe

Promoting an AIDS free Generation

Overview of the Problem: Stigma and discrimination has caused severe psychosocial and

biological problems and pain in the lives of people who are infected and affected by HIV/AIDS.

Socialisation is the core of our problem and any attempt to deal with stigma and discrimination should strongly address the formation processes.

There is a casual relationship between socialisation and behaviours.

Socialisation impacts on our perceptions, attitudes, beliefs, characters which influence our judgements.

Elements like stigma and discrimination which constitute part of our behaviours are a product of this formation

Therefore when a person stigmatise or discriminate, this reflects the kind of socialisation (formation) he/she has received.

Fact file:

Most HIV/AIDS organisations have a stigma and discrimination component in their programmes.

With that regard, in Harare Province alone we estimate over 200 organisations working on stigma and discrimination.

Zimbabwe National Behaviour Change Strategy – States that Stigma and Discrimination is a challenge that needs a national response

Kind of Response followed:

Effects Reduction Based Approach that focused on reducing effects of HIV/AIDS

Focus on the wrong front e.g. advertisements ( War example – during war, battles are fought in different fronts but there is always the main front which is the core or command centre “front line”)

Behaviour Adjustment Approaches

Focusing on the wrong front

What ought to be the What ought to be the APPROACH?APPROACH?

Adopting appropriate approaches that bridge the gap between knowledge and practice.

Behaviour Formation (Developing a culture and Personality)

Touching the Base – Root Causes Cause based Approach

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Freud’s IllustrationFreud’s Illustration

“ the first five or six years of life have an indelible influence on the subsequent life of the individual” SigmundFreud (1940) An Outline of Psychoanalysis. Standard Edition.

The statement calls us to focus on the nurturing and formation done during this period and its impact on behaviour even many years later.

The root cause : Socialisation

Socialisation is how a person is formed or moulded over a

long period of time. This involves the formal and informal

training which is handed down to community members from

a tender age through mediums like cultures, traditions and

even media. The influencing components of our cultures and

traditions e.g. the socialisation of Death (Extinction and continuity) Sickness Community health Sin/ morality

Key socialisation factorsKey socialisation factors

Beliefs

Traditions

Cultural Practices

ME

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The Main Challenge How to deal with deep rooted beliefs and attitudes which culture,

traditions have imprinted on us and some of these promote stigma and discrimination.

Can we deal with them using- advertisements or - awareness campaigns or- one day workshops?

Information based approaches focus mostly on information dissemination, but does this address the problem?

- The gap between information/ knowledge and practice.

Way Forward

Shifting focus from consequence intervention to cause intervention

- Target the command centre. Focus on Nurturing systems e.g. families,

schools, community centre and churches Formation of the person

- character- mentality- attitudes

Conclusion RemarksConclusion Remarks

What is the approach which forms a person?

- which changes the deep rooted cultural

and traditional beliefs and other elements.

- elements which are now natural and

incorporated into our own subsystems.

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Make a difference today. Go to Make a difference today. Go to the ROOT causesthe ROOT causes

Thank YouThank You

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