Common at Its Core

This report is the culmination and synthesis of studies on HIV-related stigma and discrimination in Ethiopia, Tanzania, Zambia and Vietnam. The report suggests that there are many more similarities than differences in the key causes of stigma, its impact, and its consequences.

The report defines stigma and in section 2 provides background information about the various projects. The report discusses that, in spite of different contexts, the four countries where the studies took place share key features that shape the nature and forms of HIV-related stigma.

Section 3 presents findings, focusing on the similarities across the four different country contexts, and is broken down into the following sub-sections:

(1) understanding the root causes of HIV-related stigma;
(2) an overview of the main expressions or forms that stigma takes; and
(3) the consequences or impact of HIV-related stigma.

Section 4 concludes with a discussion of the way forward and an overview of the two anti-stigma toolkits that grew out of the projects’ findings: one that is suitable to many African settings; and one adapted from the first, which is tailored for Vietnam but suitable for adaptation elsewhere in the Asian region.

This report was conducted by the International Center for Research on Women (ICRW) in partnership with CHANGE (AED/Manoff group), Miz Hasab Research Center (Ethiopia), Muhimbili University College of the Health Sciences (Tanzania), the Zambart project, Kara Counseling and Training Trust (Zambia) and the Institute for Social Development Studies (Vietnam).