Strengthening civil society in Mexico to respond to stigma and discrimination
07 November 2005
Eight participatory community assessment tools have been adapted to explore the causes and consequences of HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination among key populations in the Central States of Mexico following a training workshop organised by Alliance linking organisation Colectivo Sol. A series of documentation tools have also been developed so that information and findings from the assessments are recorded and analysed.
During the workshop, which took place in León, Mexico in July to strengthen civil society organisations in cities that are less visibly responding to stigma and discrimination, the participants discussed a conceptual framework on stigma and discrimination and started using the participatory tools. They were also able to share their personal experiences of stigma and discrimination and understand them.
Five teams of community researchers (one per city) were established to begin participatory community assessments on stigma and discrimination on key populations. These teams documented findings about stigma and discrimination at personal, social (family and community) and service levels.
A follow up workshop recently took place to analyse the researchers' findings on stigma and discrimination at personal, family and community and service levels. This workshop also defined the priorities for action to reduce stigma and discrimination in the region.
Thirty-seven participants attended the workshop from five Mexican cities: Aguascalientes, Irapuato, León, Queretaro, San Luis Potosi. Participants included activists from civil society organisations involved in HIV/AIDS; men and women living with HIV/AIDS; gay people and men who have sex with men; sex workers; transgenders; and injecting drug users.
Representatives of the National AIDS Programme, the National Council against Stigma and Discrimination and the State Programme Leader from Aguascalientes, Guanajuato and Queretaro attended the opening session.
Only days before the July workshop, Octavio Acuña Rubio, a young gay human rights activist and member of the organisation AQUESEX, AC, was murdered in an act of homophobic violence in the state of Queretaro. The workshop was dedicated to his memory.
