The People Living With HIV Stigma Index is an initiative documenting people’s experiences—over a 12-month period—with HIV stigma and discrimination, including how they’ve been able to challenge and overcome these situations.

The initiative is founded through partnerships with the Global Network of People Living With HIV/AIDS (GNP+), the International Community of Women Living With HIV/AIDS (ICW), the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

Developed by and for people living with HIV, the stigma index will collect data to expand our understanding about the extent and forms of stigma and discrimination. This valuable insight can then be used to inform policy and stigma intervention programs.

As of June 2010, more than 20 countries, including Bangladesh, Belarus, China, the Dominican Republic, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Kenya, Nigeria, Zambia, the Philippines, Fiji and the United Kingdom, completed national rollouts of the stigma index.

While the United States hasn’t yet implemented the index, GNP+ North America has reached out to U.S. agencies to help it build awareness, and a number of them are interested, explains Sean Strub, POZ founder and GNP+ North America board member.


Go to http://www.stigmaindex.org for more information.