From Youth to Adulthood, The Fight to End HIV Stigma and Build Support

Just a few years ago, Youth Power Up for A Stigma-Free Future served as the theme for the 10th Anniversary of the International Conference on Stigma hosted at Howard University.

We want to encourage and engage youth from across Washington, DC, and throughout the United States to combat HIV-related stigma. This year, the theme will be Resisting Invisibility: Step Into The Light. Eliminate Stigma.

We understand the rates of new HIV infections continue to disproportionately impact youth. The conference program committee is working to increase youth participation at all levels of the conference (both planning and implementation.)

The sole objective of the International Conference on Stigma is to build collective power for individuals, organizations, providers, and communities in addressing and combatting health-related stigma.

What is health-related stigma?

Health-related stigma refers to negative attitudes and beliefs which cause people to fear, reject, avoid and belittle people with certain illnesses or conditions. It involves labeling people as different.

Despite medical advances in HIV care, the disease continues to spread globally. Even when mental health care is available, people often continue to avoid treatment. It is our belief that we need to acknowledge and address stigma as a barrier to prevention and treatment.

How the International Conference on Stigma was founded

Initially, the International Conference on Stigma started on December 1, 2010, as a World AIDS Day event, but was later moved to November.

The idea was fostered within the Pediatric HIV Research Community Advisory Board in 2009 while they were working closely with a group called Pediatric AIDS/HIV Care, Inc. from Washington, DC, as well as several parents and grandparents of children affected by HIV.

Is stigma a barrier to prevention and treatment?

The group determined that one of the biggest barriers to care HIV-related stigma, not necessarily the disease itself. After having the same discussion on multiple occasions, the group decided it was time to be active and propose a conference.

That decision was made in June 2010 and they went full speed ahead to hold the first event just less than 6 months later. The initial support came from internal sources and the NIH Office of AIDS Research.

How does the conference empower attendees to combat HIV stigma?

The conference creates a space for attendees to develop personal and structural strategies to combat HIV stigma. Participants are challenged to use the strategies developed to make an impact on individuals and local organizations in their respective communities. These strategies include but are not limited to:

• Combating stigma
• Increasing testing for HIV
• Engaging with medical care
• Supporting people living with HIV in their effort to disclose their diagnosis
• Building the tools to adhere to treatment and follow-up care

Conference participants have come from various countries around the world including the United States, India, Nepal, South Africa, Cameroon, England, Nigeria, and Kenya.

Who organizes the Conference?

The conference is organized and coordinated by a small staff from Howard University Hospital and led by Sohail Rana, M.D., a Professor of Pediatrics at Howard University. Since 2010, Dr. Rana has served as the conference director. He is supported by Patricia Houston, a Project Director in Pediatric Hematology/HIV Research at Howard University.

This year, the 3-day hybrid conference is scheduled with activities like breakout workshops, keynote addresses, lunch, the stigma awards, and a host of tabled organizations.