Garry Brough, the Fast-Track Cities London community representative, talks about London’s approach to tackling stigma across the capital as we announce today a new anti-stigma charter for people living with HIV in London.
Fast-Track Cities London, a partnership across the city with the Mayor of London, today announces the first HIV anti-stigma charter. London aims to be the first city in the world to end new cases of HIV, preventable deaths and stigma by 2030.
The charter aims to tackle stigma and discrimination in society and frontline services in London, with public services leading the way by visibly committing to being HIV-friendly and tackling stigma and discrimination within their organisations.
Despite the advances in clinical care, we know that for people living with HIV, life can be difficult because of stigma and discrimination.
HIV stigma is often based on outdated ideas and made worse by discrimination in other areas like gender, sexuality, or race. Stigma prevents people getting tested and getting lifesaving treatment that means they can go onto live a healthy and happy life.
From 2023, organisations will be able to sign up to become a HIV friendly organisation.
The charter will:
- Increase knowledge about HIV,
- support improvements around attitudes towards HIV,
- tackle stigma and discrimination within organisations and cities, and
- provide people living with HIV a way to report stigma and discrimination they experience in an organisation.
The anti-stigma charter will include training and education, an anti-stigma policy, tools to report stigma and a knowledge and attitudes survey so organisations can understand the extent of the problem. We will also be developing a free, online training package to educate all Londoners about HIV.
Fast-Track Cities London is providing funding for three years to support the development and roll out of the HIV friendly city charter.
For more information contact: hlp.londonftci@nhs.net.