Civil society and media have shared responsibility to ensure accurate, non-stigmatising reporting on HIV

News: SAfAIDS Media Desk
16 April 2010
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PRETORIA - The fight against HIV needs to be multi-sectoral and inclusive, and the media should remain a strategic partner in interventions. This was said by Mr. Jason Wessenaar, Project Director of the Siyasi Counselling and Testing Project in response to assertions that the language used by media practitioners when talking about HIV and AIDS issues often stigmatises and has done a lot of harm to, and compromised the fight against the epidemic.

The discussion followed his presentation titled using culture to address HIV and discrimination among people living with HIV' where he spoke about the importance of being careful of the language stakeholders use, as it may further stigma; terms including HIV/AIDS as opposed to HIV and AIDS, AIDS orphans as opposed to orphans and being clear to distinguish between people living with HIV and those who have AIDS were discussed.

Mr. Wessenaar explained that in South Africa, non-stigma guidelines for use in work with media practitioners - both journalists and editors - to inform reporting on HIV and gender issues have been developed. These guidelines can also be used in the workplace, and with faith based organisations. Further, a National Stigma Framework has also been developed for use by all sectors.

Media practitioners attending the Conference asserted that in their studies, journalists are not afforded the opportunity to specialise, in HIV and gender reporting for instance. Specialisation comes through the information and training that journalists receive in workshops, trainings and conferences; so civil society organisations and activists need to take some responsibility for the information that the media takes forward and circulates.

The meeting agreed that the fight against HIV must be a collective effort which includes all relevant sectors; there should be no exclusion.

Both the non-stigma guidelines and the National Stigma Framework were developed by the Siyam'kela Stigma Project at the Centre for the Study of AIDS at the University of Pretoria.

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This article covers the recently ended Changing the River's Flow Conference held at Birchwood Hotel, Johannesburg, South Africa from the 12th to the 13th of April 2010.