Stigma and discrimination threaten all of us. If
we are HIV-positive, we may decide not to access
care, treatment or counselling services or other
entitlements for fear of being ostracized. Stigma
and discrimination may also affect the health of
those of us who are HIV-positive, increasing our
physical, psychological and social stress and
sometimes causing us to be depressed.
For those of us who are HIV-negative, stigma and
discrimination may affect our ability to protect
ourselves and our families from HIV transmission
by discouraging us from seeking information,
prevention services, or HIV testing. The stigma
of HIV and AIDS is especially strong for members
of particular groups, such as men who have sex
with men, sexually active unmarried people,
people in non-faithful relationships, and people
with substance-abuse problems.
Of particular importance to the UN system,
HIV-related stigma and discrimination violate
fundamental human rights, such as the right to be
free from discrimination, the right to privacy,
the right to health, and the right to information
and education. In short, all of us who are
employed by the UN system have a stake in
combating the stigma and discrimination
associated with HIV and AIDS-just as we all have
a stake in fighting for other human rights.
Each of us has an important role to play in
eliminating HIV-related stigma and discrimination
from the UN system workplace. We each have an
obligation to make it known that the United
Nations HIV/AIDS Personnel Policy does not
tolerate HIV-related stigma and discrimination in
UN-system workplaces. If we hear a colleague make
discriminatory statements or derogatory comments
about someone thought to be living with HIV, we
should immediately respond. We should avoid
discriminatory language in our own day-to-day
lives and make sure that our knowledge of HIV and
AIDS is based on fact rather than rumours. We
should be open to discussing HIV and AIDS with
our colleagues and be prepared to listen to the
concerns of others. Above all, we should be aware
that all of us live in a world in which AIDS is
an unavoidable reality and that all of us are
vulnerable to the disease.
We should make use of the structures already in
place to help protect our rights and well-being
at work. These include staff associations or
unions, as well as health and safety committees
or officers. Such bodies can provide leadership
and set a positive example, as well as working
with management to ensure that all measures are
in place to promote understanding, compassion,
and non-discrimination.
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