Conference Announcement and Call for Abstracts
7th Southern African Network of AIDS Service Organisations (SANASO) Conference/6th Congress,
5 - 8 August, 2003
Mulungushi Conference Centre, Lusaka, Zambia.
Theme: Stigma
and Discrimination:
Scaling up responses through
Networking, Advocacy and
Community Mobilisation
The World AIDS Campaign for the years 2002 - 2003 focuses on stigma, discrimination
and human rights. SANASO HIV/AIDS Stigma Reduction Project aims to prevent,
reduce and ultimately eliminate HIV/AIDS related Stigma and Discrimination,
whenever it occurs and in all its forms. Widespread and enduring changes
in social attitudes are required in the response to HIV/AIDS Stigma and
Discrimination.
The 7th SANASO Conference will attempt to bring about social change through mobilizing many different sectors including People living with and affected by HIV/AIDS, Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Community based organizations, (CBOs), Faith based organizations (FBOs), the Media sector, legal and civil rights groups, the business community and government representatives. SANASO is calling for Abstracts of descriptions of successful and unsuccessful responses to HIV/AIDS Stigma reduction approaches. Cases studies of both successful and unsuccessful approaches will be presented at the 7th SANASO Conference, so that best practices can be replicated and unsuccessful approaches avoided in Southern African countries.
Abstracts should be around the Conference theme: Stigma and Discrimination: Scaling up responses through Networking, Advocacy and Community Mobilisation and the following sub-themes:
1. HIV/AIDS
Stigma and the Family
Stigma within the family or directed towards affected family members poses
challenges for those living with HIV/AIDS, as it is the most subtle and
debilitating form of stigma and the hardest to address. Disclosure within
the family can be made very difficult by the presence of stigma, which inhibits
communication, prevention and care.
What is your Project doing to support families and communities to prevent stigma, enhance their natural caring role and promote self-esteem to prevent self-stigma ?
2. Stigma in
the Health Care Setting
Health workers represent the frontline in HIV/AIDS care and prevention,
and therefore, while possibly perpetuating stigma, they may also endure
stigma from socities in which they work or live. Health workers have a responsibility
and unique opportunity to overcome stigma within their professions and workplaces.
They can use their social and professional authority to be change agents
for reducing stigma through their roles as care givers of People living
with HIV/AIDS, and as educators and role models for their communities. Health
workplaces should be conducive to workers making it possible to up hold
professional codes of ethics and conduct.
What are your experiences in HIV/AIDS stigma reduction as Health workers ?
3. Stigma and Faith based organizations
Faith based organizations have a responsibility to promote prevention and
to provide care, comfort and spiritual support to HIV infected and affected
communities. Because the religious sector has such a far reaching influence
throughout Africa, and the rest of the world, religious leaders must play
an active role in promoting healthy preventive messages about HIV/AIDS,
and in leading the fight against stigma in diverse settings across the region.
As a Religious organization, what are you doing to reduce stigma ?
4. Stigma and communication
Communication can be used as a platform to unintentionally promote stigma
and through the use of various media, can serve as tools to assist in reducing
it. The media have a responsibility to report accurately, in a sensitive
manner and to give clear messages when reporting on AIDS. All forms of communication,
including radio, television, newspapers & other print media, the Internet
and other traditional forms of communication have potential to reach a large
number of people and should employ their capacity to shape public attitudes,
values and perceptions in a non-stigmatizing manner.
What is the Media Sector doing to reduce HIV/AIDS stigma ?
5. Stigma in the Workplace
What are your practices/policies in reducing stigma/discrimination at your workplace ?
The attached Abstract
Form, Conference
Registration & Accommodation Forms which can also be found
on SANASO Website: www.sanaso.org.zw should be completed and sent to:
| Zambia National AIDS Network | SANASO Secretariat |
| Harvey Tiles Office
Complex |
No. 6 Dunkirk
Drive |
| email: znan@zamnet.zm | email: sanaso@mango.zw |
| website: www.sanaso.org.zw |
Deadline for
submission of Abstracts: 15 July 2003
Deadline for Conference Registration: 25 July 2003
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