Stigma and discrimination have been recognized as the driving factors that perpetuate the spread of HIV and make life unbearable to thousands of children in Swaziland. While Compassionate Swaziland and partners interact with people affected and infected with HIV and AIDS in the communities, it is coming out clearly that stigma and discrimination is still rife in the communities and negatively affects children’s learning at schools. The key contributing factors of the high rate of poor performance at school is the lack of information on HIV and AIDS, stigma and discrimination and poverty. With high levels of stigma and discrimination at school the learning environment is insensitive to many vulnerable children’s needs and in particular children LWHA or whose parents are LWHA. This has caused increased school dropout among vulnerable children. Children who are abused sexually, physically or emotionally are most likely to face stigma and discrimination as their academic performance at schools drops. The impact of HIV and AIDS amongst children infected and affected with HIV and AIDS has increased the burden of taking care of their sick parents.
According to a news article by the TIMES of Swaziland (24th April 2010) high level of stigma and discrimination against PLHIV is one of the biggest challenges faced by PLHIV and organizations aiming at reducing the high prevalence rates. Children with HIV/AIDS or associated with HIV through infected family members have been stigmatized and discriminated against in educational settings in particular in Swaziland. In Swaziland a widow was recently fired from work in one local school because she was HIV positive and could not be allowed to continue with her job as a cook because she was on ARVs. Her children had to transfer to another school because of their mothers’ being HIV positive. A survey conducted by the newspaper indicates that people are not willing to share toilets with PLHIV in Swaziland.
Compassionate Swaziland works to ensure that children are involved in disseminating child friendly messages that seek to address advocacy issues around HIV prevention, stigma and discrimination, food security, education and violence against children. Through the children’s support groups and through direct involvement of parents and guardians, Compassionate Swaziland directly empowers vulnerable children, those who live with the vulnerable children and the entire community to provide effective impact mitigation services. This is aimed at creating a platform for vulnerable children to play a central role in creating a Swaziland free of HIV, violence against children, stigma and discrimination. This platform provides an avenue for children to get information that are critical to their development and survival. This platform also provides a spring board for advocacy towards greater access to ART by children living with HIV.
Compassionate Swaziland works closely with school teachers in some selected schools where children who are on ARVs learn. At school the teachers ensure that the children are constantly reminded to take their ARVs to avoid defaulting. |
