A Storytelling Project to Combat HIV/AIDS Stigma and Secrecy (Part 1 of 2)

Transport Workers stories about vulnerability and stigma related to HIV/AIDS:

Stigma and the resulting actual or feared discrimination associated with HIV and Sexually Transmitted infections (STIs) have proven to be the most difficult obstacles to effective HIV prevention and care programmes and create an ideal climate for its further growth.

HIV related stigma arises mostly from fear and lack of awareness and knowledge about the disease and/or hostility and existing prejudices about the groups most affected by it. All these factors make the vulnerable people even more vulnerable to HIV infection. Stigma prevents many people from negotiating safer sex, taking test for HIV and other STIs, disclosing their status to their partners or seeking treatment.

HIV positive person faces even more stigma and discrimination; in most cases there is severe violations of human rights including the right to work. This is why the ITF has turned to story telling. It can strengthen the collective voice of transport workers living with HIV/AIDS thereby building confidence and organisation to act upon stigmatisation and discrimination in their workplaces and communities. It can also build the awareness and knowledge of transport workers about HIV/AIDS thereby encouraging workers to know their status.

Together with Narativ, an organization that facilitates story telling, the ITF has pit together in this film the stories of transport workers including HIV positive workers in Mombasa, Kenya.

Category:

Nonprofits & Activism

Tags:

• tradeunions
• HIV/AIDS
• transport
• Africa
• education
• health
• gender inequality
• trade unions
• storytelling
• Kenya