Mobilising Media Activism and Community Participation in Stigma Reduction - Nigeria

Summary
This two-year project is designed to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in the media and other identified communities in Nigeria. Launched by Journalists Against AIDS  the project aims to harness the capacity of the Nigerian media and communities as a potential force for change to reduce the high levels of HIV-related stigma and discrimination in the country. The project will also support the activities of Nigeria's Country Coordination Mechanism (CCM) for the Global Fund for AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis by building the capacity of community leaders in HIV/AIDS advocacy, in particular by providing support and protecting the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and by promoting increased partnership between the media, PLWHA, human rights groups and HIV/AIDS activists in protecting and affirming rights of PLWHA.

Main Communication Strategy
The project plans to achieve its goals through a package of capacity building, as well as community empowerment and information dissemination activities addressing key media personnel, PLWHA, public sector personalities, and members of traditional leadership institutions in Nigeria.

Specific activities will include:

1. A baseline survey to determine key issues, factors and determinants of HIV-related stigma and discrimination in Nigeria, including focus group discussions, policy mapping and analysis and media monitoring studies.
2. Consultative roundtables to be held with PLWHA, media gatekeepers and community actors that aim to generate popular debate around stigma and to proffer ways to address stigma-related issues. The roundtables will be held in Enugu, Kano, Ado-Ekiti and Lagos.
3. Capacity-building workshops aimed at building knowledge of stigma-related issues among media, PLWHA, and leaders of targeted communities.
4. Publication and circulation of a tri-yearly newsletter showcasing the efforts of community actors to reduce stigma and discrimination and to provide information about services/facilities for protection of the rights of PLWHA.
5. Annual awards to profile and honour individuals and organisations who have by their actions and pronouncements broken the silence surrounding stigma and discrimination in their communities.

Development Issues
HIV/AIDS.

Key Points
The goal of the project is to reduce HIV/AIDS-related stigma and discrimination in measurable ways within the media and other identifiable communities in Nigeria by mid-2005. The project is designed to equip gatekeepers in the media with accurate, up-to-date information to report on issues, challenges, and solutions around stigma and discrimination; to provide platforms for informed public discussion and debate on stigma and discrimination; and to build capacity among leaders of the Nigerian media so that they will, on their own, become advocates for change (both in terms of communicating behaviour change to reduce stigma, and mobilising policy change for a legal and institutional framework that protects and promotes rights and access to redress for PLWH and people affected by AIDS (PABA) when confronted by stigma).

Partners
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), JAAIDS, World online.net. The project is funded by USAID through the Rapid Response Mechanism for HIV/AIDS Activities (Community REACH) project, managed by Pact, Inc., Washington, DC, USA.



For more information, contact:
Omololu Falobi
Program Director
Journalists Against AIDS (JAAIDS) Nigeria
Media Resource Centre on HIV/AIDS
1st Floor, 42 Ijaye Road
Ogba, Lagos
jaaidsng@nigeria-aids.org

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