Understanding and Reducing Stigma Related to Men Who Have Sex with Men and HIV

The toolkit ‘Understanding and ReducingStigma Related to Men Who Have Sex with Men and HIV’ guides efforts to dispel stigma related tomen who have sex with men andtransgender people and thus remove barriers to HIV-related services for thesepopulations. The toolkit equips individuals and agencies working in HIV withthe knowledge and tools to understand basic issues related to gender, sexualityand the sexual health of men who have sex with men and transgender people andto combat stigma. The toolkit includes a set of exercises that explore,understand and challenge the stigma faced by these two groups. The exercisesare designed to assist those who work with service providers, communityleaders, educators, social workers, men who have sex with men, transgenderpeople and other individuals to facilitate the acceptance of sexual diversity,protection of sexual rights and reduction of stigma and discrimination againstsexual minorities and people living with HIV.

Thetoolkit was developed with support from President’s Emergency Plan for AIDSRelief (PEPFAR). The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) in Viet Namcommissioned the Institutefor Social Development Studies (ISDS) to develop this toolkit.