Let Communities Lead: Working towards zero HIV stigma and discrimination in Brighton & Hove

Words by Eileen Nixon, Consultant Nurse and co-chair of HIV Stigma Group. Photos by Simon Pepper Photography. 

In spirit of the global theme for this year’s World AIDS Day – Let Communities Lead – I am writing on behalf of the Brighton & Hove Fast Track City Towards Zero HIV Stigma Group.

The HIV Stigma Group brings together key partners and stakeholders across the city with knowledge, expertise and experience in HIV related stigma to plan and monitor a range of innovative activities to work towards zero HIV stigma and discrimination in Brighton & Hove.

The membership of the group incorporates clinicians, academics and HIV Community organisations – Lunch Positive, Terence Higgins Trust, Positive Voices, More to Me than HIV, the Sussex Beacon and the Martin Fisher Foundation. I believe the strength of this group lies in how many members are people living with HIV themselves who also have a role in service provision in the HIV field.  The Stigma Group has three main work streams:

1. Reducing HIV stigma in healthcare in Brighton & Hove
2. Empowering people living with HIV
3. Public awareness

There have been many achievements by individual group members and as a team since the formation of the Fast Track City in 2015.

• Development of education tools for hospital workers and the public
• Education and research projects on HIV stigma in different healthcare settings
• Recruitment of HIV Allies at University Hospitals Sussex
• Raising awareness of HIV Stigma through a range of mediums including Positive Speakers and video stories
• Multi-centre research on the embodiment of HIV stigma in five cities across the world
• Art exhibitions by people living with HIV
• Workshop development to build resilience for people with HIV with internalised stigma
• Engaging with arts and entertainment organisations in Brighton & Hove to reach a range of audiences

Many of you will be familiar with the Martin Fisher Foundation Bus that carries key messages about HIV and stigma around Sussex.

More recently the Stigma Group worked alongside key organisations in Brighton & Hove and co-ordinated a day of action in Jubilee Square on Zero HIV Stigma Day – 21 July 2023. This was a real coming together of many communities and it was truly special having so many people living with HIV sharing stories, photos, books and experiences. We are looking forward to the next one in 2024.

We know that many of you reading this are already working hard and contributing a great deal to support and raise awareness about HIV in your own communities. Let’s continue to change hearts and minds together as a wider community and send HIV Stigma off packing.

Our key messages for World AIDS Day 2023 are:

• Talk openly about HIV in general your daily lives, no more whispered conversations. While it is important to respect the confidentiality of individual people, talking openly about HIV as a long term health condition will help to address stigma
• Educate yourself and keep up to date – see the rest of the website for information and watch our digital animation video
• Challenge HIV stigma when you see or hear it and direct people to up to date information
• Sign up to be an HIV Ally and we will keep you up to date with activities and information about HIV stigma locally click here.